2018 tachograph enforcement changes revealed

Details of upcoming changes to European tachograph legislation due to come into force in 2018 have been revealed by tachograph analysis and training specialist Tachodisc.

The changes concern a procedure referred to as ‘roadside interrogation of the tachograph’, which will allow enforcement officers to receive data at the roadside transmitted remotely from tachographs, thanks to the introduction of new smart digital tachograph technology.

Guy Reynolds, technical director at Tachodisc, said: “To date the finer details of what will be transmitted remotely for roadside enforcement have been vague.  All we’ve known is that they will not be a full download of a vehicle unit or a drivers’ card, with their purpose intended to be more basic – i.e. to check that the tachograph understands that the vehicle is moving or a drivers’ card is inserted.

“However, following a meeting in Brussels last week, Tachodisc can now reveal the exact list of what will be transmitted.”

Data from the tachograph that roadside enforcement teams will be able to access via the new technology will include details of the latest security breach attempt, the longest power supply interruption, sensor faults, motion data errors and vehicle motion conflicts.

Agents will also be able to ascertain whether the vehicle is being driven without a driver card inserted, and to access time adjustment and calibration data, the speed as recorded by the digital tachograph, and the vehicle registration number.

Said Reynolds: “To facilitate this, wireless communication based on dedicated short range communication (DSRC) will be made a standard with control officers for the purpose of targeted roadside checks; but the equipment for enforcement officers will not be mandatory for 15 years following the introduction of the new tachograph (2033).”