When do vehicles over 2.5 tonnes need a tachograph?

From 1 July 2026, vehicles exceeding 2.5 tonnes performing international freight transport in the EU must use a smart tachograph, as required by EU Regulation 2020/1054.

Which vehicles are affected by the 2.5 tonne tachograph rule?

All vehicles between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes (vans, light trucks, flatbeds) used for international freight transport in the EU are affected. This includes Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, Renault Master, and similar vehicles.

What app can I use to read my tachograph driver card?

TachoData is a mobile app for Android and iOS that reads your driver card via USB card reader, Bluetooth, or front download device. It provides infringement reports based on EU 561/2006, attendance sheets, and deadline tracking.

Do I need a tachograph for my van from July 2026?

Yes, if your van exceeds 2.5 tonnes gross mass and you perform international freight transport in the EU, you will need a smart tachograph installed and a valid driver card from 1 July 2026.

TachoData - Tachograph App for Drivers

Front Tachograph Reader

The Front Tachograph Reader is a Bluetooth tachograph adapter that plugs into the front-panel connector of the tachograph in the vehicle. Together with the TachoData app, it reads data straight from the tachograph — your own driver card data without a company card, or the entire tachograph dataset when a company card is inserted.

Supported tachographs

The adapter works with the following generations and newer:

VDO DTCO 1.4 and newer
Stoneridge SE5000 7.0 and newer

Older tachographs (VDO 1.3 and earlier, Stoneridge 6.x and earlier) are not supported.

Two operating modes

Without a company card — read the data of the driver card currently inserted in the tachograph. Access is limited to that driver's own data.
With a company card — download the full tachograph dataset. The company card must be inserted in the tachograph during the read.

Set-up in the TachoData app

Pair the reader over Bluetooth from the TachoData app's Settings → Device pairing menu. Detailed step-by-step instructions are available on the VDO tachograph pairing and Stoneridge tachograph pairing manual pages.

See also the Direct tachograph download manual page for details on manufacturer-side limitations and known issues with Bluetooth download.

You can order this device directly from the official TachoMI / Autóvéd webshop:

View in the webshop