As the latest generation of tachographs must be equipped with a short-range wireless communication abilities, these devices can be checked not just manually, but also while lorries are in motion. Communication with tachographs is made possible via DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication) which allows users to retrieve cumulative information from a passing vehicle in less than a second.
It’s a small package of data – 19 parameters informing inspectors whether any problems have been registered in the tachograph.
The coded data goes to the inspector’s computer, and after decoding, it gives them a quick answer as to whether there could have been any manipulation. If a possible manipulation is detected, the vehicle can then be stopped for inspection. At this point, inspectors can download all the data from the tachograph and impose penalties when necessary.
Also, inspectors can check whether the driver was driving the vehicle without a card and, inter alia, whether the tachograph has recorded any speeding infringements.
The Netherlands have already started a 2-year-long test of remote tachograph inspections
Poland is by no means the only country in Europe checking tachograph data remotely.
The Dutch Road Inspectorate has been testing remote checks of smart tachographs since the middle of summer. In June, the tests took place at the roadside and from within a moving vehicle. Checks have also been conducted on bridges crossing motorways.
The testing of the equipment shall continue throughout the year and could be extended for another year. Following that, a decision on which system to use will be made – putting the inspectorate in a good position for when smart tachographs will be much more common in 2024 (road inspections operating in the European Union have been given until August 2024 to equip themselves with devices that enable remote data transfer).