A distributed reinforcement learning and model predictive control architecture for routing decisions in urban road networks

Abstract

In this paper, platoons of autonomous vehicles in urban road networks are considered. From a methodological point of view, the problem consists in characterizing vehicle state trajectory tubes by means of routing decisions complying with traffic congestion criteria. To this end, a novel distributed control architecture is conceived by taking advantage of two methodologies: the routing decisions are obtained by using a distributed reinforcement learning algorithm that exploits available traffic data and a bank of model predictive controllers is in charge of computing the more adequate control action for each involved vehicle.