Digital tachograph

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Digital tachograph

Digital tachograph

Digital tachograph

Digital tachographs record data on driving time, speed, distance and driver for HGVs and buses in the UK. These devices are mandatory for vehicles that fall under the EU drivers' hours rules, which aim to ensure road safety and fair competition in the transport sector. Explore this page to understand what digital tachographs do and why they’re crucial to UK fleet compliance. Looking for a digital tachograph solution? Get everything you need to stay compliant with Tachograph Manager.

What does a digital tachograph do?

What does a digital tachograph do?

A digital tachograph is installed in a vehicle for the purpose of tracking vehicle speed, driver break periods and mileage driven. The digital tachograph starts recording this data the moment a vehicle begins to move. The rules around digital tachograph install­a­tions continue to evolve. As of June 2019, every new vehicle must be installed with a smart tachograph, a next-gen­er­ation recording device. From August 2023, any newly registered HGV is required to have the smart tachograph version 2 installed.

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Smart tachograph version 2 is part of the EU’s Mobility Package 1, which includes enforcing cabotage rules and registering border crossings, along with the loading and unloading of trucks.

Commercial fleets should be aware of two more dates:

  • 31 December 2024, which is when trucks must be fitted with smart tachograph version 2
  • 19 August 2025, the date by which any truck equipped with the first version of smart tachograph should be installed with smart tachograph version 2

Analogue vs. digital tachographs

The main difference between analogue and digital tachographs is how data is recorded and stored. Analogue tachographs use charts and discs to record data, requiring drivers to manually write down start and end times and odometer readings. Digital tachographs introduced tachograph cards, which store vehicle data and driver working times for 28 days. With digital devices, tachograph data can’t be changed or erased, making it easier for authorities to enforce driver hours’ rules. Stored digitally, the data is also highly secured, since it’s encrypted and must conform to the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR.

When is a digital tachograph mandatory?

When is a digital tachograph mandatory?

The analogue tachograph first came into use in the 1950s. Since 1 May 2006, all qualifying vehicles manufac­tured in the EU must have been installed with a first-gen­er­ation digital tachograph device. More recent legislation means that fleets will need to replace analogue tachographs and earlier digital tachographs with smart tachograph version 2. Generally, all trucks will be installed with smart tachograph version 2 by the end of August 2025.

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Smart tachograph v2

Digital tachographs bring a high level of security and greater efficiency. An open interface allows for increased device capab­il­ities, while a short-range commu­nic­ation system helps simplify daily vehicle inspections. With regulatory changes that rolled out in August 2023, all newly registered trucks are required to be installed with smart tachograph version 2. Then by 31 December 2024, trucks fitted with analogue or the first iteration of digital tachographs must upgrade to version 2.

Trucks still using smart tachograph version 1 must upgrade to version 2 by 25 August 2025. The law also stipulates that as of 1 July 2026, all vehicles weighing 2.5 tonnes or more and that are involved in inter­na­tional transport or cabotage operations must be equipped with version 2.

Why is a digital tachograph so important?

Why is a digital tachograph so important?

Like the analogue model before it, a digital tachograph tracks how far, fast and long a driver travels. The objective with smart tachographs is the same as the original analogue version: to protect drivers and make roads safer for everyone. Digital devices are mandated by European law, making them essential to fleet compliance.

Digital tachograph cards: how to use them?

Digital tachograph cards: how to use them?

By law, all commercial bus and truck drivers must have tachograph driver cards on hand. These cards record and store the driver data that ensures fleets comply with EU rules on drivers’ hours, including work breaks and resting periods.

There are different kinds of digital tachograph cards, and your profes­sional role may determine which card you use. For example, drivers will use driver cards that record their activities and store their individual IDs. A driver card puts respons­ib­ility on drivers to adhere to rules around working and rest times. Businesses also use company cards, enabling fleet managers to monitor driver hours and break times for fleet compliance.

What can you track with a digital tachograph?

What can you track with a digital tachograph?

A smart digital tachograph records the:

  • driving time
  • speed and distance of a vehicle
  • driver’s identity and activities

Digital tachographs can also communicate with other devices and systems, such as GPS, dash cams and fleet management software. With a smart tachograph, fleets can easily comply with drivers’ hours rules while optimising driver performance and fuel efficiency. Digital tachographs provide real-time data, ensuring greater safety and driver wellbeing.

A digital tachograph to track driver hours rules

A digital tachograph to track driver hours rules

Since digital tachographs automat­ically record driving times and break periods, they help fleets comply with drivers’ hours rules. EU law limits the amount of time a driver can work and drive in a day or week. A digital tachograph helps transport companies monitor driver compliance with the rules, detecting potential violations or infringe­ments in real time. Here’s a fuller explanation of drivers’ hours rules.

How to use a digital tachograph to stay compliant?

How to use a digital tachograph to stay compliant?

Digital tachographs help fleet operators stay on top of compliance with drivers’ hours rules. Manually downloading tachograph data can take between 20 minutes and two hours per vehicle - and drivers must be physically present in the same location as the reading equipment. These constraints make it tricky to analyse tachograph data regularly and effectively.

With a digital tachograph, fleet managers can download tachograph remotely, shaving hours off their admin­is­trative time. Combining a digital tachograph with a software analysis tool simplifies compliance, since data can be accessed in real time.

What kind of digital tachograph exemptions are there?

What kind of digital tachograph exemptions are there?

While the UK is no longer part of the EU, the rules on drivers’ hours still apply. There are, however, exemptions for digital tachographs. Wherever a vehicle is driven in the EU, these exemptions relate to vehicle type, purpose of transport and trip start/end points. For example, vehicles used for emergency and rescue operations are exempt. Also exempt are vehicles with a maximum speed of 25 mph. The European Commission created special UK-specific exemptions for vehicles produced before 1947, propelled by steam and those used by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. See the complete list of tachograph exemptions on the UK government website.

Webfleet Tachograph Manager

Webfleet Tachograph Manager

It takes a lot to run a transport fleet. The respons­ib­il­ities seem endless: planning jobs and routes, overseeing safety and security, managing drivers, handling compliance, scheduling maintenance, reining in fuel costs and more. Wouldn’t it be easier to manage it all on a single platform? With Webfleet’s Tachograph Manager, you can remotely download and secure your fleet’s tachograph data. Stay on top of Remaining Driving Time (RDT) and get alerts to help you avoid infringe­ments. Discover why Webfleet is the leading telematics solution in Europe, with more than 200,000 connected HCVs across the continent.

Webfleet: One platform where you can do it all

wf compliance quick guide

How to leverage your fleet’s compliance

wf compliance quick guide

Want to improve safety and avoid costs? Make the most of your fleet’s compliance with drivers’ hours and tachograph rules - get our quick guide.

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