SimTrack: Real-Time Competitive Mobility Systems Simulator

Inspiration

Modern mobility systems — from Formula racing and drone deliveries to supply-chain logistics — rely heavily on real-time data and performance insights. However, most simulation tools are either too heavy, domain-specific, or expensive. We wanted to build a lightweight, visual, and interactive simulator that anyone can use to understand mobility dynamics, analyze performance, and experiment with real-time event outcomes.

What it does

SimTrack is a real-time, browser-based simulator that models multiple moving agents such as cars, drones, or delivery bots competing in a shared environment. It generates live events like overtakes, collisions, or power boosts, and displays a dynamic leaderboard along with performance analytics like speed, distance, and efficiency — all visualized in an engaging dashboard.

How we built it

We built SimTrack using React.js and TailwindCSS for the interface, and JavaScript (Canvas/Three.js) to simulate movement and physics. Real-time leaderboard updates are handled through React state management and event triggers, while Chart.js visualizes live analytics. The system runs entirely on the browser and can be deployed freely on Vercel or GitHub Pages, ensuring zero backend cost.

Challenges we ran into

Designing a realistic yet lightweight physics simulation.
Managing smooth animations for multiple agents simultaneously.
Balancing event generation (collisions, overtakes) without breaking performance.
Creating real-time updates and UI synchronization in a single-threaded environment.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a fully functional multi-agent mobility simulator from scratch using only open-source tools.
Created a visually rich, real-time leaderboard and analytics dashboard.
Designed a platform that’s extensible across domains — racing, drones, or logistics.
Achieved zero-cost deployment and accessibility from any browser.

What we learned

Real-time systems design and event-driven architecture in front-end simulation.
Optimizing animations and rendering performance for multiple agents.
Importance of modular design for scaling simulations across different mobility types.
How small UX details (like smooth transitions and live charts) dramatically improve engagement.

What's next for SimTrack

We plan to expand SimTrack with:

AI-driven strategy models that optimize agent behavior.
3D mode for drone and racing visualizations.
Replay and analytics export for post-simulation insights.
Integration with real telemetry data to bridge simulation with real-world performance.

Ultimately, our vision is to make SimTrack the go-to open simulator for competitive and cooperative mobility systems — fast, visual, and accessible to all.