mlsanityData to 7 Oct 2026

A Survey of Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithms for Motion Planning and Control of Autonomous Vehicles

arXiv 2105.14218 ↗First posted 29 May 2021cs.RO cs.LGcited by 10

On the map: End-to-end autonomous driving → Reinforcement learning for driving

Abstract (arXiv)

In this survey, we systematically summarize the current literature on studies that apply reinforcement learning (RL) to the motion planning and control of autonomous vehicles. Many existing contributions can be attributed to the pipeline approach, which consists of many hand-crafted modules, each with a functionality selected for the ease of human interpretation. However, this approach does not automatically guarantee maximal performance due to the lack of a system-level optimization. Therefore, this paper also presents a growing trend of work that falls into the end-to-end approach, which typically offers better performance and smaller system scales. However, their performance also suffers from the lack of expert data and generalization issues. Finally, the remaining challenges applying deep RL algorithms on autonomous driving are summarized, and future research directions are also presented to tackle these challenges.

Key facts. Cited by 10 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Reinforcement learning for driving, one of 9 directions in End-to-end autonomous driving. Builds on 42 of its 69 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 May 2021.

Builds on

42 of 69 references.

References · 42

  1. 2017CARLA: An Open Urban Driving Simulatorcited by 2,431
  2. 2017Domain Randomization for Transferring Deep Neural Networks from Simulation to the Real Worldcited by 1,401
  3. 2016End to End Learning for Self-Driving Carscited by 1,000
  4. 2020Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving: A Surveycited by 698
  5. 2017End-to-end Driving via Conditional Imitation Learningcited by 479
  6. 2018ChauffeurNet: Learning to Drive by Imitating the Best and Synthesizing the Worstcited by 391
  7. 2020Sim-to-Real Transfer in Deep Reinforcement Learning for Robotics: a Surveycited by 388
  8. 2019A Survey of Autonomous Driving: Common Practices and Emerging Technologiescited by 373
  9. 2016Safe, Multi-Agent, Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Drivingcited by 301
  10. 2018Learning to Drive in a Daycited by 266
  11. 2016A Survey of Motion Planning and Control Techniques for Self-driving Urban Vehiclescited by 251
  12. 2016CAD2RL: Real Single-Image Flight without a Single Real Imagecited by 227
30 more
  1. 2019PRECOG: PREdiction Conditioned On Goals in Visual Multi-Agent Settingscited by 178
  2. 2016End-to-end Learning of Driving Models from Large-scale Video Datasetscited by 147
  3. 2020Survey of Deep Reinforcement Learning for Motion Planning of Autonomous Vehiclescited by 101
  4. 2018CIRL: Controllable Imitative Reinforcement Learning for Vision-based Self-drivingcited by 96
  5. 2019Model-free Deep Reinforcement Learning for Urban Autonomous Drivingcited by 96
  6. 2016Query-Efficient Imitation Learning for End-to-End Autonomous Drivingcited by 83
  7. 2017Virtual to Real Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Drivingcited by 79
  8. 2018Deep Imitative Models for Flexible Inference, Planning, and Controlcited by 75
  9. 2019Safe Reinforcement Learning on Autonomous Vehiclescited by 48
  10. 2019Human-Like Autonomous Car-Following Model with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 47
  11. 2018End-to-End Race Driving with Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 38
  12. 2018Automated Speed and Lane Change Decision Making using Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 36
  13. 2018Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Drivingcited by 36
  14. 2020Automated Lane Change Strategy using Proximal Policy Optimization-based Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 30
  15. 2019Reinforcement Learning with Probabilistic Guarantees for Autonomous Drivingcited by 27
  16. 2019Lane Change Decision-making through Deep Reinforcement Learning with Rule-based Constraintscited by 24
  17. 2019Improved Robustness and Safety for Autonomous Vehicle Control with Adversarial Reinforcement Learningcited by 23
  18. 2017A Fast Integrated Planning and Control Framework for Autonomous Driving via Imitation Learningcited by 20
  19. 2019Exploring applications of deep reinforcement learning for real-world autonomous driving systemscited by 18
  20. 2018Robust Deep Reinforcement Learning for Security and Safety in Autonomous Vehicle Systemscited by 17
  21. 2018Reinforcement Learning and Deep Learning based Lateral Control for Autonomous Drivingcited by 17
  22. 2018Automated vehicle's behavior decision making using deep reinforcement learning and high-fidelity simulation environmentcited by 16
  23. 2019Longitudinal Dynamic versus Kinematic Models for Car-Following Control Using Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 10
  24. 2019Continuous Control for Automated Lane Change Behavior Based on Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient Algorithmcited by 8
  25. 2019Quadratic Q-network for Learning Continuous Control for Autonomous Vehiclescited by 8
  26. 2017Meta learning Framework for Automated Drivingcited by 6
  27. 2018Deep Reinforcement Learning for Time Optimal Velocity Control using Prior Knowledgecited by 6
  28. 2018Deep Reinforcement Learning for Dynamic Urban Transportation Problemscited by 5
  29. 2020Meta Reinforcement Learning-Based Lane Change Strategy for Autonomous Vehiclescited by 5
  30. 2018Simulated Autonomous Driving in a Realistic Driving Environment using Deep Reinforcement Learning and a Deterministic Finite State Machinecited by 2

Built on by

Cited by year

Citing papers per year: 2021: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2025: 2.

10 papers.

  1. 2022Provably Safe Reinforcement Learning: Conceptual Analysis, Survey, and Benchmarkingcited by 31
  2. 2022Reachability Verification Based Reliability Assessment for Deep Reinforcement Learning Controlled Robotics and Autonomous Systemscited by 2
  3. 2024Provable Traffic Rule Compliance in Safe Reinforcement Learning on the Open Seacited by 2
  4. 2021A Risk-Averse Preview-based Q-Learning Algorithm: Application to Highway Driving of Autonomous Vehiclescited by 1
  5. 2022Robust AI Driving Strategy for Autonomous Vehiclescited by 1
  6. 2023Robot path planning using deep reinforcement learningcited by 1
  7. 2025Learning Isometric Embeddings of Road Networks using Multidimensional Scalingcited by 1
  8. 2023Semantic and Articulated Pedestrian Sensing Onboard a Moving Vehiclecited by 0
  9. 2023Sim-to-Real Transfer of Adaptive Control Parameters for AUV Stabilization under Current Disturbancecited by 0
  10. 2025Towards a Reward-Free Reinforcement Learning Framework for Vehicle Controlcited by 0

Similar, not cited

Close in wording, no citation either way

  1. 2025A Survey of Reinforcement Learning-Based Motion Planning for Autonomous Driving: Lessons Learned from a Driving Task Perspective
  2. 2025A Comprehensive Review of Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving in the CARLA Simulator
  3. 2023Review of Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving
  4. 2021A Survey of Deep RL and IL for Autonomous Driving Policy Learning
  5. 2023Integration of Reinforcement Learning Based Behavior Planning With Sampling Based Motion Planning for Automated Driving
  6. 2024Self-Driving Car Racing: Application of Deep Reinforcement Learning
  7. 2024A Reinforcement Learning-Boosted Motion Planning Framework: Comprehensive Generalization Performance in Autonomous Driving
  8. 2024Optimizing Low-Speed Autonomous Driving: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Route Stability and Maximum Speed