Adaptive Trajectory Planning in Autonomous Vehicles: A Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning Approach with Soft Actor-Critic

Abstract

This study introduces a methodology enabling automated vehicles to perform lane changes effectively within complex road systems. It emphasizes a hierarchical driver behavior framework that integrates decision-making with trajectory planning to enhance safety. The approach utilizes reinforcement learning (RL) agents for automated vehicles and the MOBIL model for human-operated vehicles, aiming to optimize the lane change process. The paper introduces the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC), an off-policy actor-critic algorithm, to improve training stability and effectiveness in real-world robotics applications. Additionally, it offers a comprehensive review of existing planning and control algorithms for self-driving vehicles, offering a comprehensive survey of techniques and their strengths and limitations to aid in informed design choices.