In the world of road transport, safety is a primary concern. For this reason, there are various regulations that govern the behavior of drivers and transport companies. Among these, one of the most important is the one related to the use of digital tachograph.
In this article, we will explore how the digital tachograph works, discovering what it records.
How does it work?
The digital tachograph records a series of information related to the driver's activities, the vehicle's activities, and the operational status of the tachograph itself. Generally speaking, this data can be viewed in 2 main ways:
- Using the printer included in the device. To do this, it is necessary to select a specific set of data that you want to obtain (e.g.: driver's activities over 24 hours). The printout is similar to a receipt (it is necessary to know various symbols used in all tachographs to identify and interpret the data).
- Using software that automatically interprets and manages the data. The files downloaded from a digital tachograph have a specific extension (".DDD").
The information obtainable from the digital tachograph can be categorized into 3 different types, depending on the nature and purpose of such information:
- Data related to the driver's activity → Information regarding a specific driver and the activities performed in the vehicle on which the device is installed (personal data, driving/rest times, start/end of shift, violations, use of the tachograph itself, etc.).
- Data related to vehicle activity → All information regarding the vehicle on which the device is installed and its activities (license plate/chassis number, kilometers traveled, speed, recorded activities of ANY driver, events/failures, sensors, etc.).
- Technical data of the tachograph → All information concerning identification, operation, and maintenance of the device itself (model, software version, calibration details, failures/technical errors, etc.).
* The mass memory of the tachograph (which encompasses and stores ALL information obtainable from the device itself) INCORPORATES all 3 of these subcategories. This division is mainly due to security and privacy reasons (for both drivers and companies), as well as obviously for prevention and control reasons (road safety and compliance with current regulations).
Conclusion
The digital tachograph is an essential tool for road safety and for compliance with regulations on driving and rest times. If you are a professional driver, it is important that you understand how the digital tachograph works and that you use it correctly.