Scenario-based Decision-making Using Game Theory for Interactive Autonomous Driving: A Survey

Game-based interactive driving simulations have emerged as versatile platforms for advancing decision-making algorithms in road transport mobility. While these environments offer safe, scalable, and engaging settings for testing driving strategies, ensuring both realism and robust performance amid dynamic and diverse scenarios remains a significant challenge. Recently, the integration of game-based techniques with advanced learning frameworks has enabled the development of adaptive decision-making models that effectively manage the complexities inherent in varied driving conditions. These models outperform traditional simulation methods, especially when addressing scenario-specific challenges, ranging from obstacle avoidance on highways and precise maneuvering during on-ramp merging to navigation in roundabouts, unsignalized intersections, and even the high-speed demands of autonomous racing. Despite numerous innovations in game-based interactive driving, a systematic review comparing these approaches across different scenarios is still missing. This survey provides a comprehensive evaluation of game-based interactive driving methods by summarizing recent advancements and inherent roadway features in each scenario. Furthermore, the reviewed algorithms are critically assessed based on their adaptation of the standard game model and an analysis of their specific mechanisms to understand their impact on decision-making performance. Finally, the survey discusses the limitations of current approaches and outlines promising directions for future research.