Fines for Not Equipping Vehicles with G2V2 Smart Tachographs

From March 1, 2025, fines for failing to equip vehicles with second-generation smart tachographs (G2V2) will come into force, and road transport operators must be ready to comply with the new regulations. These smart tachographs are essential for monitoring driver activities, including driving and rest times, and improving road safety. In this article, we'll explore what the G2V2 tachograph rollout means, how the regulations affect transportation companies, and what steps operators need to take to avoid penalties.

What are G2V2 Smart Tachographs?

G2V2 intelligent tachographs are advanced digital devices that monitor vehicle activity in real time, including driving times, driver rest times, speed and distance traveled. These tachographs are essential to ensure compliance with European Union regulations on driver working hours and road safety.

Second-generation tachographs are equipped with enhanced features such as automatic border detection and data transmission to the competent authorities, helping to reduce fraud and better manage transport fleets. Unlike previous tachographs, which had a manual recording system, G2V2 tachographs transmit data in real time, ensuring that authorities have immediate access to the necessary information.

When does it become mandatory to equip vehicles with G2V2 tachographs?

Starting December 31, 2024, all international transport vehicles weighing 3.5 tons or more will be required to be equipped with G2V2 intelligent tachographs. These will replace the old digital and analog tachographs, which no longer comply with current European regulations.

During the transition period, between January 1 and February 28, 2025, the authorities will continue to focus on informing economic operators and raising awareness of the need to implement this equipment. During this period, checks will be more educational and fines will not be applied. However, after March 1, 2025, any vehicle that is not properly equipped will risk significant penalties.

What improvements does the G2V2 tachograph bring?

G2V2 smart tachographs bring several significant improvements over previous models, including:

1. Automatic Border Detection: These devices are able to identify when a vehicle is entering or exiting a country, thus facilitating the monitoring process and ensuring more accurate and efficient reporting.
2. Real-time data transmission: The data collected by G2V2 tachographs is automatically sent to the competent authorities, providing full visibility of vehicle activities. This helps authorities to check compliance with driving and rest time regulations.
3. Fraud prevention: G2V2 tachographs' advanced features allow detection and prevention of fraudulent activities such as tampering with record cards or data substitution.
4. Improved compliance: G2V2 tachographs help hauliers stay compliant with European regulations on driver working hours and road safety, reducing the risk of penalties.
5. Improved efficiency: By providing accurate, real-time data, these tachographs enable fleet managers to optimize driver schedules and improve overall business performance.

What Are the Penalties for Non-Enforcement?

From March 1, 2025, economic operators who do not comply with the regulations on equipping vehicles with G2V2 smart tachographs risk significant fines. Penalties will vary depending on the country in which transportation takes place, but in general they will be high enough to ensure strict enforcement of the new regulations.

For example, in the Mediterranean Corridor, which includes countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, France, Italy and Hungary, fines can reach up to €30,000 and up to one year in prison in France, while in the Atlantic Corridor, which includes countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Portugal and Ireland, penalties can reach up to €6,000 in Portugal and €1,500 in Germany.

These penalties are being imposed to encourage carriers to adopt G2V2 smart tachographs as soon as possible and to ensure compliance with European regulations.

The term Retrofitting

For vehicles equipped with first-generation tachographs (G2V1), the deadline for retrofitting them with G2V2 intelligent tachographs is August 19, 2025. This gives hauliers more time to comply with the regulations, but it is important that they plan their retrofitting in advance to avoid possible delays and penalties.

Tachographs for Buses and Light Commercial Vehicles

As of July 1, 2026, tachographs also become mandatory for buses and commercial vehicles of 2.5 - 3.5 tons carrying out international transport. This measure will extend the requirements for G2V2 smart tachographs to a wider range of vehicles, thereby strengthening the monitoring of transport activities and reducing the risks of abuse.

How to Prepare for G2V2 Tachograph Deployment

To avoid fines and comply with European regulations, hauliers must ensure that their vehicles are equipped with G2V2 smart tachographs before the March 1, 2025 deadline. Here are some essential steps to get ready:

1. Check existing equipment: Make sure the tachographs in your vehicles comply with the new regulations. If they are first generation, plan to retrofit them with G2V2 smart tachographs by the deadline.
2. Work with authorized suppliers: Contact authorized tachograph suppliers to purchase and install the appropriate equipment. Make sure the equipment complies with EU regulations.
3. Train your staff: Ensure that all employees involved in fleet management and monitoring driver activities are trained in the use of the new smart tachographs and the management of the data transmitted.
4. Update internal procedures: Revise your internal fleet management procedures to include the monitoring of driver activities via G2V2 tachographs and ensure that all data is correctly recorded and reported.
5. Get ready for checks: Be prepared for road and customs inspections by making sure your vehicles are properly equipped and that all tachograph data is accessible to the competent authorities.

The deployment of G2V2 intelligent tachographs is an important step towards improving safety and compliance in international road transport. Carriers need to be aware of the new regulations and prepare adequately to avoid fines and reap the benefits of the new technology. However, the correct application of intelligent tachographs will not only help to comply with the regulations, but will also contribute to increased efficiency and safety in road transport activities.