the passing ai system:
I anticipate the most problems with this system.
feedback position control around target vehicle(s).
if vehicle a is comfortable with a 3 foot sideways distance from the passed or passing vehicle, and vehicle b is comfortable with only 2 feet, then as the two pass each other, vehicle a will tend to be pushed off the road.
the ai system must therefore not use a set distance, but be adaptable to changing behavior. it must also decide wether to abort an attempt at passing based on obstacles, and narrow roads which must take into account the size of the other vehicle.
communication and cooperation are not allowed between vehicles, yet is unavoidable. if you can detect a vehicle ahead of you, then you could decide not to pass them. you could instead follow them, letting the first vehicle do all the hard work, and take all the risk. I see this as a way to ensure that your vehicle finnishes the race... you lurch off the line, and wait for a vehicle to pass you. you then follow the vehicle. if you are passed, you immediately begin to follow the faster of the 2. in this way if a vehicle completes the course, you will too. you may even program your vehicle to make a last ditch attempt to pass the otherwise winning vehicle just before the finnish line, thus winning the million dollars for yourself.
