
But high-tech tachographs won't stop them cutting you up...
Published: 24 October 2003 10:15 GMT
Smart cards and digital signatures are to be introduced in heavy goods vehicles and buses by next summer, to comply with new EU rules designed to ensure that drivers are keeping within the law.
The UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will implement a high-tech tachograph system to monitor the speeds and distances of heavy goods vehicles and buses. All new commercial road haulage systems must be fitted with the system from the summer of 2004.
RSA Security, the IT firm supplying the digital certificate management software behind the system, claims it will be accurate and secure enough to be used in court action against drivers or firms whose vehicles exceed legal limits on speed or journey distance.
"Digital signatures will be used to sign data exchanges and guarantee the validity of the information - which includes details of the driver, hours driven, rest periods, distance and speed travelled - in the event that the electronic records are presented to courts for the prosecution of drivers' hours infringements," said RSA, in a statement.
The European Union has demanding that all member states implement high-tech tachographs by next summer, in an attempt to improve road safety, compliance with transport legislation and fair competition between haulage firms. The UK system will integrate motion sensors within the vehicle with the digital smartcard reader.
According to Jason Lewis, vice president of product management and marketing at RSA Security, the smart card system is a "real and practical application of public key infrastructure (PKI) technology."
Technology is being increasingly introduced across the commercial transport sector. Earlier this week, Orange and Metroline announced a deal that will see London bus drivers receiving text messages in the hope of keeping the service running to a timetable.
Graeme Wearden writes for ZDNet UK
As you should be aware and as the industry is awar...
Ronald Poulston
yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lee bennett
Well this speed monitoring idea sounds a good one ...
Andrew Morgan
tacho's were meant to do just that... this wont wo...
56 mph @ all times
For Andrew Bennett and any other car driver that i...
Ronald Poulston
Freight and Distribution Contracts - Cold Storage contracts - Contracts for Distribution equipment and pallets - Vehicle and fleet contracts To ...
Design Engineer Mechanical - Vehicles Hydraulic You will have Mechanical systems design for Vehicle, such as off road Vehicles, Small diggers or Go ...
Previous experience of client visits and some expose to field sales -Pervious experience of or strong desire to move into software sales -You must be ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Bob Tarzey Why you must rein in your power users When they do damage, it can be catastrophic to your business
Jon Collins Is losing a mobile device really such a big deal? How to minimise the damage to your business