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Simulate traffic using manual OD data

This guide shows how to manually define traffic demand by specifying trips between locations and assigning routing behaviour.

When should I use this

Use this approach when you already have origin–destination data or when you want full control over traffic demand.
This is typically used for:
  • Using externally provided OD matrices
  • Testing a small number of specific movements or scenarios
  • Reproducing known or hypothetical traffic patterns

Before you start

You need:
  • A project
  • Origin–destination data, or a clear understanding of the trips you want to model

Create a manual dataset

1. Start a new manual dataset

  1. Open your project
  1. Click New dataset
  1. Select Free draw
  1. Enter a name for the dataset
The dataset editor will open.
An empty free draw dataset.
An empty free draw dataset.

2. Select routing behaviour

Choose a vehicle profile to define how trips will be routed when the dataset is evaluated in a scenario.
Common examples include:
  • car.fast
  • car.short
  • bicycle.commute
The selected vehicle profile applies to all trips in the dataset.

3. Define trips between locations

Trips are defined by creating origin–destination pairs directly on the map.
To add a trip:
  • Click on the map to select an origin
  • Click again on the map to select a destination
  • Enter the number of vehicles travelling between the two locations in the popup window that appears
This creates one origin–destination pair. To add more trips, repeat this process as many times as needed. When creating a new trip, you can select an existing origin or destination by clicking on it instead of creating a new location.
A free draw dataset with three trips.
A free draw dataset with three trips.

4. Return to project

✅ That’s it! — you’ve simulated traffic using a manually drawn dataset.
You can close the dataset editor to return to the project.