Enforcement of social rules in road transport: smart digital tachographs on EU roads since 15 June 2019

Since 15 June this year, trucks and buses registered in the EU for the first time must have a smart digital tachograph installed.

The tachograph is the tool installed in trucks and buses which records the activities of drivers. Its new features will improve greatly the enforcement of the EU rules on driving and resting times, which truck and bus drivers must respect, in line with the efforts by the Commission with the "Europe on the Move" packages for a socially fair transition towards clean energy and digitalisation.

The smart digital tachograph offers technologically advanced and user-friendly functionalities compared to the digital tachograph which is currently in use. It allows for the positioning of the vehicle via satellite and the transmission of information to control authorities via short-range communication technology. It also has a Bluetooth connection allowing to send data to mobile phones or tablets.

Commissioner for Mobility and Transport, Violeta Bulc, said: "The smart digital tachograph, making use of modern technology, will highly improve the social protection of drivers and at the same time further enhance road safety in Europe.It will also be an essential tool to help enforcement authorities to fight against frauds and abuses."

Thanks to its new connectivity features and enhanced security, developed in part by the European Commission's science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre, it will be easier for enforcers to detect infringements to the road transport legislation. Additionally, it provides real time information that may be used by transport companies and drivers to optimize the fleet management strategies and to better organise the working time.