The EU Mobility Package I is intended to ensure better working conditions, a level playing field in transport logistics and greater road safety. Its regulations have been gradually implemented since August 2020 – with manageable effects on workshops so far. However, with the introduction of the new second version of the smart tachograph, things are now also getting interesting for workshops. After it has been mandatory for newly registered commercial vehicles since August 2023, the first vehicles currently operating will follow this year. As is so often the case, however, fleets are reluctant to implement unpopular new obligations – and the rush on workshops at the end of the year is inevitable. This makes it all the more important to actively inform fleet customers of the retrofitting obligation in order to avoid overtime and calls from desperate customers at Christmas time.
EU Mobility Package I: What’s in it for workshops?
Trucks and buses used in cross-border commercial transport must be brought into the workshop for retrofitting over the next two years. The specific deadlines:
- December 31, 2024: Vehicles over 3.5 tons with old analog or digital tachographs of the first version
- August 18, 2025: Vehicles over 3.5 tons with a first version smart tachograph
- June 30, 2026: Light commercial vehicles and vans over 2.5 tons
Contrary to all rumors, this schedule will not change, as the EU Commission once again made clear in March 2024.
In addition, the introduction of the second version of the smart tachograph will result in changes to the obligatory periodic inspection in accordance with Section 57b of the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO), which workshops must observe. For example, the standard charge type must now be programmed in the legal parameters and the devices must be able to carry out legally required updates such as map updates.
Why fleet customers should retrofit the tachograph at an early stage
Several factors speak for early retrofitting:
- Free workshop capacities: Workshops and their tachograph experts are more likely to have free time slots now than at the turn of the year, when the queue outside the workshop door will be long.
- Efficiency: It makes sense to combine the retrofitting appointment with the periodic inspection, which is necessary anyway. This means that workshops do not have to work twice on the same vehicle in a short period of time, and fleet operators save on expensive downtime. At the same time, they have the security of being able to travel across borders in January.
- Threat of penalties: Anyone who fails to comply with the obligation to install the new tachograph on time will have to dig deep. Whoever is caught with an outdated tachograph will face a fine of 1,500 euros in Germany, for example. And thanks to remote scanning technology, the authorities can now identify the black sheep virtually as they drive past.
Easy tachograph retrofitting with VDO tools and services
This means that a fairly large wave of retrofitting is heading for commercial vehicle workshops. That’s reason enough to optimize your own work processes and even reduce costs, because VDO offers smart one-stop shop solutions to comply with legal regulations at national and European level – with smart tachographs, apps and services.
The WorkshopTab 2 can be used to check and calibrate smart tachographs directly on the vehicle. Whether KITAS 4.0 documentation, GNSS or DSRC testing: the software takes care of everything in the background – including the paperwork. For example, fleet customers can be informed efficiently via the serial letter function. This not only reduces potential sources of error, but also the effort involved. In addition, the configurator offered helps to find the right replacement device and order it directly from the WorkshopTab 2. And the necessary DTCO update cable for the WorkshopTab 2 is available for the regular updates prescribed by the EU Mobility Package I.
One challenge is the heterogeneous existing fleet, which consists of many different vehicle models of differing ages with various generations of tachographs. For this, VDO offers new EU Mobility Package Kits that contain everything you need for retrofitting: the DTCO 4.1, a DSRC antenna, the appropriate cable and smart programming that allows existing parameters to be transferred from the old tachograph, recalculated or even completely recombined. If you register as a certified VDO installation partner, you will even receive free basic training on how to install the DTCO 4.1.
myVDO: Central information portal for fleets and workshops
On the new central VDO information portal myVDO, workshops, fleets and drivers will not only find all relevant information on the EU Mobility Package I, but also the latest software updates and user guides, eLearnings on VDO products, the latest videos about the tachograph from VDO brand ambassador Olli Gleinert and much more. Register now and never miss
Would you like to stay up to date on compliance, the EU Mobility Package I and the world of tachographs? Register now with our central information portal myVDO and never miss any news again!
