Can we use the joystick to start the autonomous program.

One of my kids figured out a way to start the autonomous run by pushing one button on the joystick. Is it alright to use the joystick to start the robot and then sit it down during the competition’s autonomous section?

No, we want all teams to be starting their Robot in the Autonomous Challenge by pressing a button on the brain. This is stated in <PSC2> in the Programming Skills Challenge section of the Add It Up Game Manual.