With new ‘smart’ tachographs on the horizon; so called because new features, data manipulation prevention and additional data being stored, let’s take a look at what this will actually entail.
The Mandatory New Features
- An ITS interface (Intelligent Transport Systems) – this allows sharing vehicle data or other data with other systems. For example, download systems, but other systems such as on-board computers and mobile apps too.
- A GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, or GPS + GLONASS). As it also has a GNSS module connected (a combination of GPS and GLONASS), the tachograph is a whole lot ‘smarter’ with location information and additional speed data. In addition, the location data must help to determine how much of their work time drivers have spent in a particular country. The latter helps to reduce unfair competition.
- A DSRC interface (Dedicated Short Range Communication) – this module makes it possible for monitoring bodies to read out data at a (short) distance that helps to detect possible fraud. This interface serves purely as a selection tool to proceed with further inspection or not, and may not result in automatic fines. This was the intention in earlier legislative proposals, but various interest groups have objected against this. If no indications for fraud have been found, any data collected via DSCR shall be deleted after 3 hours. General road checks can still take place without this pre-selection.
Expected Benefits To Newer Units
- Implementation of Annex 1 c 165/2014 – Please see this article for more details
- New encryption method – This mean greater security for your digital data
- Improved sealing – Meaning physical manipulation of the device or its’ data will be harder
- Faster data downloads – Because who wants to spent 30-40 minutes downloading a Tacho-head
- Faster card input and output – Reducing driver downtime
- Improved display – making it easier to read under all conditions
- Integrated GNSS (GPS + GLONASS) module for location awareness and secondary speed determination – So now your vehicles will know where they have been and for how long
- DSCR module for wireless communication – Allowing for remote downloads and inspections
- ITS interface for communication with other systems and applications – Greater interlinking between management, analysis and scheduling systems
