How TomTom and EPG leverage real-world traffic intelligence for smarter routing

Route planning has long struggled to bridge the gap between theory and reality. When DHL drivers reported that they rarely followed their suggested stop sequences due to heavy traffic, it raised a fundamental question: how can route planning dynamically adapt to real-world conditions?

This challenge led to the creation of EPG’s Greenplan solution, a routing system developed in collaboration with the University of Bonn’s discrete mathematics department. However, even the most advanced algorithm is only as effective as the data it processes. To create truly optimized routes, Greenplan needed precise, predictive traffic intelligence. That’s where TomTom came in.

Traditional route planning tools focus on minimizing distance, but in practice, the shortest route is not always the fastest. Congestion, road restrictions, and peakhour traffic can turn an optimized plan into a logistical headache …