Driver Tacho
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Technical guide · Professional driver
Digital tachograph · generations, differences and EU timetable
What the digital tachograph is, how to tell Gen1, Gen2 v1 and Smart Tachograph 2 (Gen2 v2) apart, what changes for you as a driver in each generation and which European deadlines actually affect your vehicle.
What it is and what it does
The digital tachograph is the modern road transport logbook: it constantly records what you and the vehicle are doing, day and night, and no one can alter the data without leaving a trace.
What it records
Your driver card stores activity types (driving / other work / availability / rest), start and end of working days, events, faults and infringements, and from Gen2 onwards also the vehicle's GNSS position every 3 hours and at the start/end of each work period.
What it's for
It's the official evidence of compliance with Regulation (EC) 561/2006 (driving and rest times) and Directive 2002/15/EC (working time). It is used for roadside inspections, employer controls, defence against penalties and, on the worker's side, to evidence the actual working day before the employer or a tribunal.
Who must use one
Vehicles for road freight transport above 3.5 t MAM (including trailer) and passenger transport vehicles with more than 9 seats (including the driver), except for the limited exemptions in Article 3 of Regulation 561/2006.
Who looks at the data
The driver (through their card), the company (through the company card), authorised workshops, inspection authorities (roadside or at the depot) and, where applicable, judges and tribunals. Vehicle data is kept for at least 365 days in the unit and 12 months by the company.
The three generations in service today
Even though the device is always called a "digital tachograph", three technically very different families are on the road at the same time. Knowing which one you have is the first step to understanding what's required of you.
| Feature | Gen1 (2006) | Gen2 v1 (Jun 2019) | Gen2 v2 · Smart Tacho 2 (Aug 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year introduced | 2006 (Reg. EEC 3821/85 as amended) | 15 June 2019 (Reg. EU 2016/799) | 21 August 2023 (Reg. EU 2021/1228) |
| GNSS (position) | No | Yes — every 3 hrs | Yes — with OSNMA anti-spoofing |
| DSRC (remote inspection) | No | Yes — 5.8 GHz | Yes, improved |
| Cryptographic signing | RSA | ECC (elliptic curve) | ECC + GNSS OSNMA |
| Border crossings | Manual | Manual (entered by driver) | Automatic via GNSS |
| Loading / unloading | Not recorded | Not recorded | Yes — automatic recording |
| ITS / Bluetooth interface | No | Optional | Yes, standard |
| Card compatibility | Gen1 or Gen2 card | Gen1 or Gen2 card | Gen1 or Gen2 card (Gen2 preferred) |
| What the driver sees on screen | Basic summary, simple alerts | More detail, visible GNSS | Richer warnings, loading/unloading messages, precise position |
What changes for you as a driver (Smart Tacho 2)
The big leap in recent years is Smart Tachograph 2. These are the real changes you'll notice every day.
Automatic border crossings
When you cross an internal EU border, the tachograph records it itself based on the GNSS position. Before, you had to press the button manually when crossing — that classic source of error and infringement is gone.
Logging loading and unloading
Smart Tacho 2 records loading and unloading events (with your confirmation). This matters for the Mobility Package's working time rules and to evidence where each activity took place.
More reliable position
With OSNMA, the GNSS data resists spoofing attacks (signal forgery). This matters in conflict zones or near borders: your position is authenticated and cannot be manipulated with a cheap device.
More useful on-screen messages
Richer warnings on driving times, pending rest periods and events. Lower risk of running over time because you missed a warning.
⚠ Important for the driver: even though border crossings are now recorded automatically, it remains your responsibility to enter the country code at the start and end of your working day when relevant, and to check that the tachograph's position and time are correct. The unit helps; it doesn't let you off the hook.
European timetable (what really matters today)
The Mobility Package set a transition plan to Smart Tacho 2 that is already in motion. If you do international transport, these deadlines hit you directly.
15 Jun 2019
Smart Tachograph 1 (Gen2 v1) mandatory in new vehicles
From this date all newly registered vehicles in the EU carry at least Gen2 v1. Older vehicles continue with Gen1 until they are replaced.
21 Aug 2023
Smart Tachograph 2 (Gen2 v2) mandatory in new vehicles
Vehicles newly registered from this date carry Smart Tacho 2 from the factory. This is the generation with automatic border crossings, OSNMA and loading/unloading.
31 Dec 2024
Retrofit from Gen1 → Smart Tacho 2 in international transport
All vehicles with a Gen1 tachograph running international operations in the EU had to be retrofitted to Smart Tacho 2 by this date. Driving Gen1 outside your country exposes you to serious penalties.
18 Aug 2025
Retrofit from Gen2 v1 → Smart Tacho 2 in international transport
Vehicles with Smart Tacho 1 (Gen2 v1) used for international transport must be updated to Smart Tacho 2 by this date. From then on, only Smart Tacho 2 is legal in international operations.
1 Jul 2026
Scope extended to vehicles > 2.5 t in international transport
Regulation 561/2006 — and, by extension, the tachograph requirement — is extended to international freight transport vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 t MAM. Large vans currently out of scope come within the system.
📌 Domestic transport: the retrofit deadlines are specific to international transport. In purely national traffic you can keep driving with Gen1 or Gen2 v1 while the unit is operational, but remember that new vehicles will always be Smart Tacho 2 and your employer may require the change sooner as a matter of company policy.
How to know which tachograph you have
Look at the head unit
The brand (VDO/Continental, Stoneridge, Actia, Intellic) and model are shown on the front of the tachograph. On Continental, for example, DTCO 1381 Rel.4.0 and later are Smart Tacho 1 or 2; Rel.3.0 is Gen1. On Stoneridge, SE5000-8 or higher is Smart Tacho 2.
Ask at the approved workshop
Any approved tachograph workshop will tell you by looking at the calibration certificate (yellow label on the side of the head unit or behind the driver's door). It's mandatory information.
Read the card with Driver Tacho
Driver Tacho automatically identifies the tachograph's generation from the driver card records. Read the card and look at the "Extracted data" block: you'll see the unit's cryptographic signature (Gen1 = RSA · Gen2 = ECC) and Smart Tacho 2-specific fields when present.
Check the vehicle's technical sheet
The vehicle's roadworthiness (ITV) card and technical sheet list the approved tachograph. If your employer provides the vehicle documentation, it's there officially.
Frequently asked questions
Does my driver card work the same in Gen1 and in Smart Tacho 2?
Yes, the card is compatible with every generation in service. The difference is the amount and quality of data recorded: a card used only in Gen1 will never have detailed GNSS position or automatic border crossings.
How long does the tachograph and my card keep the data?
The vehicle's head unit keeps at least 365 days of activity. Your driver card keeps 28 days of activity on a rolling basis (older days are overwritten). The company must keep the downloaded data for at least 12 months.
Do I have to download my own card's data?
The legal download obligation falls on the company (driver card every 28 days, vehicle data every 90 days). As a driver you are not required to download, but you have the right to a copy of your own data and it pays to keep them: they serve as your defence against any disagreement with the company or an inspection. Driver Tacho lets you do this for free in under 2 minutes.
What happens if I drive with a Gen1 in international transport after the deadlines?
The infringement is classed as very serious in most Member States, with fines that can exceed €2,000 per vehicle and, in some countries, immobilisation. Check your vehicle's generation as soon as possible and, if the company has not retrofitted it, raise it in writing before your next international run.
Can the tachograph fine me on its own?
No. The tachograph records; it doesn't fine. Penalties are issued by enforcement bodies (the Spanish Guardia Civil, ITSS, regional inspectors in Spain — and the equivalent road transport enforcement authorities in other Member States) when they check the data. But the data is there — and is practically irrefutable. That's why it pays to review it yourself periodically with Driver Tacho and be ready if you spot something odd.
Does Smart Tacho 2 send data to the tax authorities or to the company in real time?
No. GNSS and activity data are stored locally. The DSRC (the 5.8 GHz antenna) only activates when a roadside control unit "interrogates" it to pre-detect manipulation — it's not a permanent connection. Unless your company has its own telematic fleet systems, the data stays on the unit until the next download.
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Working times and rest periods
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