Dynamics-Decoupled Trajectory Alignment for Sim-to-Real Transfer in Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving

Abstract: Reinforcement learning (RL) has shown promise in robotics, but deploying RL on real vehicles remains challenging due to the complexity of vehicle dynamics and the mismatch between simulation and reality. Factors such as tire characteristics, road surface conditions, aerodynamic disturbances, and vehicle load make it infeasible to model real-world dynamics accurately, which hinders direct transfer of RL agents trained in simulation. In this paper, we present a framework that decouples motion planning from vehicle control through a spatial and temporal alignment strategy between a virtual vehicle and the real system. An RL agent is first trained in simulation using a kinematic bicycle model to output continuous control actions. Its behavior is then distilled into a trajectory-predicting agent that generates finite-horizon ego-vehicle trajectories, enabling synchronization between virtual and real vehicles. At deployment, a Stanley controller governs lateral dynamics, while longitudinal alignment is maintained through adaptive update mechanisms that compensate for deviations between virtual and real trajectories. We validate our approach on a real vehicle and demonstrate that the proposed alignment strategy enables robust zero-shot transfer of RL-based motion planning from simulation to reality, successfully decoupling high-level trajectory generation from low-level vehicle control.