The obligation is already in force. At every inspection, the current state of your equipment is what counts.
Six steps to become compliant quickly
- Take stockImmediately identify all vehicles in the weight range above 2.5 and up to 3.5 tonnes that are used across borders or in cabotage.
- Check for an exemptionFor each affected vehicle, check whether the own-account transport exemption might apply (see our page on tradespeople and own-account transport).
- Secure a workshop appointmentBecause the obligation is already in force, certified specialist workshops are extremely busy. Contact your service partner immediately to prioritise the retrofit of the Smart Tacho GEN2 V2 for affected vehicles.
- Company card, driver card and staff briefingMake sure your company holds a company card and that every affected driver applies for a driver card at the competent authority without delay. In parallel, drivers and dispatchers must be trained.
- Set up data processesFrom the first day of use the statutory deadlines start running: driver cards must be read out at least every 28 days and tachograph data at least every 90 days, and archived in an audit-proof way — ideally automatically.
- Run a testTest the new processes with at least one vehicle before sending vehicles out on cross-border transport.
Do not miss a step
So that nothing slips through under acute time pressure, we have summarised the most important points in our TachoGuard handbook.
Request the TachoGuard handbook
Enter your name, company and email address — we will send you the checklist by email right away.
How TachoGuard takes the load off right now
Step 5 in particular — ongoing data management — is where the greatest day-to-day effort shows: regular downloads, correct archiving and analysis for possible infringements. That is what determines whether you are legally compliant. TachoGuard handles automated read-out (with telematics), audit-proof archiving and the analysis of your tachograph data from day one — so no deadline passes unnoticed while you focus on your core business.
Back to the overview: implementation and technology.