05 / From Timed Steps to Actions

Timed and Encoder Autonomous

Compare simple time-based auto with encoder-based movement.

60 minAutonomousFrom Timed Steps to Actions

You will

01Write a safe timed autonomous step.
02Use encoders to measure movement.
03Add timeouts to every autonomous action.

Why Timed and Encoder Autonomous matters

This lesson is about sequencing decisions without a human driver. Autonomous code must know where it starts, what it is trying to accomplish, how each step ends, and what safe behavior happens when a step fails.

Starting point

Timed auto is a teaching tool

Time-based autonomous is easy to start with, but battery voltage and friction change distance. It is best for learning sequencing, stops, and timeouts before moving to encoder and Road Runner control.

Encoders measure what motors did

Encoder autonomous uses motor position feedback to stop closer to a target. It is still not full localization, but it teaches feedback and verification.

Build path

Teach autonomous as a progression from timed steps to encoder checks to state machines and actions. Each layer should preserve the same core habits: explicit state, telemetry for the active step, timeout or finish condition, and a final safe stop.

For this specific lesson, students should first restate the goal in robot terms, then identify the value or behavior they expect to observe, then run the smallest test that proves the idea. The lesson should feel like a guided lab: predict, run, observe, explain, and only then extend.

TimedStep.java · Java

runtime.reset();
while (opModeIsActive() && runtime.seconds() < 1.0) {
    robot.frontLeft.setPower(0.25);
    robot.frontRight.setPower(0.25);
    telemetry.addLine("Driving forward");
    telemetry.update();
}

robot.frontLeft.setPower(0);
robot.frontRight.setPower(0);

Debugging and failure modes

Autonomous failures are easier to diagnose when the robot reports why it moved on or stopped. Print the selected branch, active state, elapsed time, target, measurement, and stop reason. If those values are missing, the team is debugging a story with half the pages torn out.

Checks

Every step has an exit condition.
The robot stops at the end of autonomous.
Telemetry clearly shows the current step.

Check your understanding

Module check

Why should autonomous steps have timeouts?

0 of 1 answered

References

FIRST FTC DocsOfficial FTC SDK and robot programming documentation.Game Manual 0Community FTC programming, control, and robot design reference.Learn Java for FTCFTC-focused Java fundamentals by Alan G. Smith.