Tachograph Cards

G&D technologies mean more security on the roads of Europe

Digital technology is on the fast track to the future: Not least in the millions of trucks and buses on the motorways of Germany and the rest of the EU. All newly registered commercial vehicles with a gross weight of more than 3.5 tons and all buses with more than nine seats have had to be equipped with a digital tachograph card since May 2006, and these have been compulsory for all AETR states since June 2010.

A tachograph card makes it possible to check easily and accurately whether professional drivers have been complying with the prescribed driving and rest times and whether they are keeping to speed limits. Before setting out, drivers must authenticate themselves in the tachograph unit using their personal tachograph card. This is inserted into the tachograph unit and not removed until the end of the usage period. Data concerning routes and travel time is recorded in the tachograph unit and on the tachograph card.

G&D has implemented tachograph system solutions in Belgium, Ireland, Greece, and other countries. G&D has also equipped the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) with tachograph cards and the necessary technical infrastructure for personalizing and issuing the four different types of smartcard.

This technology meets the rigorous safety standard established by the EU Commission for digital tachograph cards and guarantees safety at the very highest level.

4 Card Types

Four different types of card are used in digital tachograph systems:

• The driver card is valid for drivers of bus and road traffic vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons. Data is stored on these cards to identify the drivers and other information, e.g. the speed and break times.
• Workshop cards enable the verification, calibration, and downloading of data from the tachograph unit by e.g. workshop employees or original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
• The control card is issued to the inspection authorities and is used to check the data that is stored on the driver card or tachograph unit.
• The company card allows for the display, download, and printing of data stored in the tachograph unit. Other companies do not have access to this card.

Card features and operating system

The demands on tachograph cards are very high and similar to those on identity cards or bank cards. Constant use and the vehicle environment, e.g. large temperature fluctuations and constant vibrations during the journey, take their toll on the card and the tachograph unit. G&D therefore uses polycarbonate for the card body, as it is extremely tough and durable. The combination of card body, card body security features, and the chip increases counterfeit protection considerably.

Tachograph cards from G&D run on the tried-and-tested STARCOS 3.4 operating system with the tachograph card application.