In most European countries, services conduct random mobile checks using DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) systems, which are equipped for mobile patrols. The Italian police, however, has installed DSRC modules permanently at selected points on the road network.
Such a system for the preselection of lorries, which alerts the police to irregularities in smart tachograph records, is already in operation on the A1 motorway near Fiorenzuola (the section between Piacenza and Parma in northern Italy) and on the A14 near Rimini South, reports Italian transport website uominietrasporti.it. Remote tachograph inspection systems are also set to appear on the Italian A1 linking Milan and Naples near Casale and on the A4 between Milan and Brescia.
The system the Italian services are using as part of a pilot project called Falco is DSRC RTM Visual. It allows alleged anomalies in the new generation of tachographs to be identified remotely. The software then searches for anomalies in driving and rest times and manipulation of the recording device during further checks.
The equipment, known technically as a ‘pre-selector’, optimises patrol work. This is because the police officers only stop those vehicles in which the system has detected irregularities.
EU-Wide Remote Tachograph Checks
It is worth mentioning that all EU countries will soon have to implement remote tachograph checks. By 19 August 2024, all transport inspectorates in the EU must equip themselves with equipment for remote downloading of RTM parameters via DSRC.
The second-generation smart tachographs allow 25 RTM parameters to be downloaded, rather than 19 as with the first-generation smart tachographs. In addition to errors suggesting manipulation, the new devices will download information from the DSRC systems such as whether the driver is currently exceeding their driving time: continuous, daily, weekly, or even bi-weekly. As a result, the detection rate of infringements will be much higher on roads throughout the Union.
As a reminder, according to Article 9(4) of Regulation (EU) No 165/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on tachographs used in road transport, only data necessary for targeted roadside checks of vehicles whose tachograph has been manipulated or misused may be transmitted remotely. For the first-generation smart tachographs, this applies to a total of 19 parameters.
They must refer to specific recorded events or data, such as:
- Last attempted security breach,
- The longest power interruption,
- Sensor fault,
- Speed or route data error,
- Data conflict related to vehicle movement,
- Driving without a valid card,
- Insertion of card while driving,
- Time adjustment data,
- Calibration data (including dates of last two calibrations),
- Vehicle registration number,
- Speed recorded by the tachograph.
The new version of the intelligent tachograph additionally provides information on:
- The time of the last authenticated position of the vehicle,
- The uninterrupted driving time,
- The longest daily driving time in the current and previous period,
- The longest daily driving time in the current week,
- Weekly driving time,
- Bi-weekly driving time.