The deadline for mandatory installation of version 2 smart tachographs (G2V2) in new vehicles is approaching fast. Any vehicles for which such devices are mandatory, with a first registration date on or after 21 August 2023 must be equipped with the new version of the driver working time recording device. Over the next years, tachographs will also be replaced in older vehicles operating in international transport. This will be performed in two stages: first one until the end of next year and the second one – until August 2025.
New cards for drivers will be issued along with new tachographs. No need to worry, as all old driver cards will work with the new tachographs and vice versa – all new cards will work with the previous tachograph versions and generations. Thus, replacement of the current driver cards will not be required. As a reminder, they are normally issued for 5 years. Devices will also not need to be replaced nor updated – the current ones will read the new tachograph cards, although, if you want to have access to all saved data, including, but not limited to the data on loading and unloading, updating the devices will be useful in most cases. Reading new cards will not require updating nor replacing existing devices – this will however be necessary in order to be able to read the tachographs.
Two generations of cards are now in use:
– G1, issued before June 2019 (without space/memory to save location data);
– G2, issued since June 2019 (with space to save location data, but without space to save loading/unloading data).
The above list will soon be supplemented by G2v2 cards, which will have, for example, extended memory for data and additional sections to save loading and unloading or automatic border crossing. Card memory extension is first of all the result of an increase of the number of days on the road subject to control – from the end of 2024, it will be doubled to 56 days. There will be no visual change to the cards; they will look the same as the current G2 cards.
At our company, works related to using the first approved tachographs and the new driver cards are already in progress – we are developing new software functions and updates for data collection devices.
Interestingly, Poland is the first country in Europe to announce readiness to issue the new G2v2 cards. Experts from PWPW inform that they are ready to personalize and issue cards for digital, second-generation tachographs. As of 21 August 2023, PWPW is only going to issue new tachograph cards (G2v2).
