A Distributed Routing Approach for Vehicle Routing in Logistic Networks

Abstract

The increasing complexity and dynamics of logistic processes is creating significant new challenges for the management of goods transport. This is leading to increased requirements for the routing of goods and transport vehicles in order to adapt to the dynamics of the changing logistics environment. Current practice of vehicle and goods routing is based on centralised planning and control. This approach is now rapidly becoming too inflexible and complex for maintaining efficient goods transport. In this paper we introduce a novel routing process which implements distributed decision making among transport vehicles, goods items, and other entities in a logistic transport network. The proposed approach enables packages (goods items) and transport vehicles to find their routes autonomously whilst reacting to dynamic changes in their environment.