The Smart Tacho 2 is here!

A new rule is coming for truck drivers and transport companies in Europe. From 2025 forward, the Smart Tacho 2 (second-generation smart tachograph) becomes mandatory for many commercial vehicles, particularly trucks and tractor heads.

This new device will record driving time, rest time, border crossings, and other important information to help improve road safety and stop illegal driving hours.

If you drive a truck or manage a fleet, this guide explains what you need to know.If you drive a truck, manage a fleet, or are looking at buying a used vehicle and want to better identify what you are buying, this guide explains what you need to know.

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What is the Smart Tacho 2?

The Smart Tacho 2 is a digital tachograph and it replaces the older tachographs and keeps track of:

• Driving hours

• Rest and break time

• Vehicle location

• [NEW] Automatic border crossings detection

• [NEW] Loading and unloading times (optional feature)

It has better technology, better tracking, and better anti-fraud protection compared to older tachographs.

Thanks to the new DSRC technology, the authorities can check and read the Smart Tacho 2 data remotely without having to stop the vehicle, preventing unnecessary stops and delays to the drivers.

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When will Smart Tacho 2 be mandatory?

For vehicles registered after August 21, 2023, the Smart Tacho 2 is already required.
If your vehicles never cross an EU/EEA border, you are not required to retrofit them with a Smart Tacho 2.

The following are the key deadlines for all other vehicles:

If you travel internationally, you must upgrade. If you miss the deadline, you risk fines and the truck may not be allowed to drive on the road.

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What are the main benefits of Smart Tacho 2?

• Faster border checks

• More accurate tracking

• Strong anti-fraud safety

• Less paperwork

• Helps follow EU transport laws

This technology helps keep roads safer and makes transport rules fair for all companies.

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How much does it cost?

The price for a Smart Tacho 2 unit itself falls between €600 and €900 (excluding VAT) depending on the supplier and exact model.

However, you should also note that this is not the total cost for the owner. The final price for a retrofit (including installation, calibration, and any necessary kits) will be significantly higher.

Potential cost of non-compliance: France has the strictest penalties for not having a proper tachograph, with transport companies facing fines of up to €30,000 and drivers risking up to one year in prison. Authorities can also impound the vehicle until the issue is resolved. In Spain, the fine is €2,001, and the vehicle may be immobilized until the tachograph is replaced. In Portugal, penalties can reach €6,000, while in Germany they can go up to €1,500.

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Do driver cards need to be replaced?

A common question is whether old driver cards (G1 and G2V1) work with the new Smart Tacho 2.

• Partial Compatibility: While older cards may still function, they are not fully compatible with G2V2 tachographs.

• Risk of Fines: The main issue is that old cards cannot correctly record all the new data required by law, such as automatic border crossing entries. This creates a risk of data conflicts or missing entries, which can easily lead to confusion and unnecessary fines during a roadside check.

• Recommendation: To ensure 100% compliance and avoid fines, it is strongly recommended to pair a G2V2 tachograph with a new G2V2 driver card.

The new-generation G2V2 driver cards (issued for Smart Tacho 2) have an increased data storage capacity. They are required to store 56 days of driver activity, a significant increase from the previous 28-day standard. This is the most critical change for drivers on the road.

• As of December 31, 2024, the inspection period is officially extended.

• During a roadside check, enforcement officers will be able to check a driver's activity for the current day and the previous 56 days. This is double the previous 28-day inspection window.

• Operators are still legally required to download driver card data at least every 28 days. The requirement to download the tachograph's Vehicle Unit (VU) also remains unchanged, at least every 90 days.

The 56-day rule is purely for on-road enforcement and card storage capacity, not for your internal data archiving deadlines.

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How to know if your truck already has a Smart Tacho 2?

To determine if your vehicle is equipped with a Smart Tacho 2, you can use the following checks.

VDO 4.1 Tachograph (Continental / DTCO)

• Check if there is mention of the version on the front or if there is a bluetooth icon on the top right of the display.

• You can pull the unit out and check the information for a “R4.1” mention on the bottom right corner.

• Access the “INFO” or “Technical Data” menu on the unit and look for the firmware or software version

• Print out the technical data of the vehicle and look for a “GEN2 V2” mention

Stoneridge SE5000 SMART 2

• Check if there is mention of the version on the front and if there is “SMART 2” on the name

• You can pull the unit out and check the information for “Type: SE500-8.X”

• Access the “Information” menu on the unit and go through the options until you find “SE500-8.X” on the screen

• Print out the technical data of the vehicle and look for a “GEN2 V2” mention

If you have performed all the verification checks detailed above and have not been able to identify any of them in your unit, that possibly means that it is not a Smart Tacho 2 and you should upgrade.

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At TheTruckCompany, we have a wide range of high-quality used trucks, including models that are already equipped with the latest generation tachographs. We can also equip any truck with a new device, as we handle the installation ourselves and work with a certified partner for the official calibration. Whether you're looking for a truck ready for international transport or a reliable vehicle for your national routes, our specialists can help. Talk to us to find the best solution for your business.

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Source: European Commission Website - Smart Tachograph version 2