3 autonomous coding mistakes that cost VEX IQ teams at every competition
I've seen hundreds of VEX IQ teams run autonomous routines. Most of them make the same 3 mistakes — and they don't even realize it.
1. Hard-coding distances instead of using sensor feedback
Your robot doesn't drive the same distance every time. Wheel slip, battery voltage, and floor friction all change. If you're using drivetrain.driveFor with fixed values and no sensor correction, your autonomous is inconsistent by design.
Fix: Use the inertial sensor for turns and the distance sensor or motor encoder counts with a tolerance loop for straight drives.
2. Not accounting for alliance partner movement
Your auto routine works perfectly in practice — then at competition your alliance partner's robot bumps yours 2 inches off course and everything falls apart. Build in recovery logic. Check sensor values before each action, not just at the start.
3. Going too fast
Speed = less control. Drop your motor velocity to 40-60% during autonomous. The extra 0.5 seconds you "save" going full speed gets wasted when you overshoot and miss a game element.
These three fixes alone can add 20-30 points to your autonomous score. I've used all of them in competition and they work.
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