Tachographs
According to EEC Ordinance 3821/85, goods vehicles (with a permissible gross weight over 3.5 t) and buses are required to be fitted with tachographs. The objective of the ordinance is to monitor drivers' adherence to working hours and rest periods and to record vehicle speeds. The tachographs in general use today record the resulting data mechanically on a printed paper disc.
All-electronic system passed
To prevent tampering and the falsification of records, the existing tachograph is to be replaced by an all-electronic system which dispenses with printouts. To this end, EEC Ordinance 2135/98 was passed back in 1998. This specified that the new tachograph should incorporate two sockets for the driver's and passenger's chip cards and a bulk data memory for the digital storage of the recorded data over a period of 365 days. In addition, a printer with graphics capability was specified to print out the daily and weekly records for the driver and the controlling authority, together with an intelligent speed sensor. The instrument is based on the use of a driver-related chip card capable of storing hours at the wheel, working hours and rest periods over 28 days.
At its sitting on March 9, 2000, the Technical Review Committee of the EU Commission adopted Annexe IB to EEC Ordinance 2135/98VO against the German vote. This annexe contains the technical requirements for the new tachograph. The principal reasons for the opposing attitude of the German Governtment were reservations as to the reliability of the system as a whole, the omission of field trials and the failure to make provision for the new version to be retrofitted to vehicles already in service.
The deciding factor for the deadline for original equipment is the date of publication of Annexe IB in the EU Gazette, since compulsory fitting in new vehicles will come into force two years after that date. The annexe is expected to be published in autumn 2000. This is subject to the proviso, however, that at least one manufacturer will have obtained type approval for a new tachograph within a year at the latest of the publication of annexe IB. It is, however, assumed that this will be the case.
Other problems outstanding
The essential technical requirements have long been known and have not been subsequently changed. A facility for manual input and an interface permitting connection to on-board computers have, however, been additionally specified, together with the requirements for the printer paper. The printer may either be integrated into the tachograph or installed separately.
An important point concerns the issue of the chip cards (driver's card, workshop card, company card, inspection card) for which the member states are responsible. Given that security will be largely dependent on the key management of the cards, a corresponding Europe-wide organisation must be set up in addition to its national counterparts. For this purpose, the Commission has set up work groups which will also occupy themselves with other outstanding question3s, such as the storage capacity of the bulk data memory.
Since it will be possible to install the new tachograph before the specified date, although initially using only the workshop card, problems can be expected during the transition period. A solution must also be found for laid-up vehicles. In order to deal with these and other issues associated with the new tachograph, VDA has set up a work group which includes representatives from the manufacturers of motor vehicles and tachographs. Representatives of the Ministry for Transport, Construction and Housing as well as associ ations and organisations involved will also attend meetings of the work group as necessary.
