France has equipped its HGV inspectors with devices that can remotely read tachographs while the lorries are on the road.
Christophe Mathieu, the Head of Product Management Aftermarket at Continental Automotive Trading France, announced in a LinkedIn post that the French HGV controlling authorities handed over its DSRC-RP solution last week.
This device allows officers to read tachograph data remotely, even when the HGV is in motion on the road.
Since June 2019, new HGVs have been required to install smart tachographs that register a driver’s driving and rest times. Additionally, older lorries and buses must have smart tachographs fitted by December 2024.
In order to read smart tachographs remotely, Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) equipment is required. This allows inspectors to assessroadside tachograph data without stopping trucks and other commercial vehicles.
With the DSRC device, inspectors can determine whether the registration of driving and rest times are fraudulent, such as whether the tachograph registers driving time and whether a driver’s card is active. By doing so, inspectors can select vehicles more specifically for inspection, increasing the chance of catching offenders, while drivers who follow the rules are left alone.
France is the seventh European country to equip its HGV inspecting officials with a DSRC device, following Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Germany, and Great Britain.
