Updates to AETR regulations and the EU Mobility Package. Unpacking tachograph mandates, weekly rest requirements, and new penalties for HGV drivers.
AETR Rules Update 2026: Digital Control of Drivers' Working Hours
European transport legislation continues to stringently regulate the working conditions of long-haul drivers. In 2026, the most severe amendments to the AETR Agreement (European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport) in the last decade came into force. The goal of these innovations is not only to improve road safety by combating fatigue but also to ensure fair market competition (combating so-called "social dumping").
AI-assisted driver control
Second-Generation Smart Tachographs (G2V2)
The cornerstone for implementing the new rules is the mandatory use of second-generation smart tachographs (Smart Tachograph Version 2, G2V2) for all vehicles undertaking international journeys, regardless of their date of first registration. These devices automatically record the crossing of national borders via an integrated satellite navigation module (GNSS) without the need for manual input by the driver.
Furthermore, the new tachographs are equipped with DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication) technology, which allows transport authorities (such as BAG in Germany or ITD in Poland) to remotely read data on potential working hours violations while the truck is driving on the autobahn. Inspectors only pull over trucks that the system has already flagged as suspicious, drastically increasing the efficiency of controls and the inevitability of punishment for manipulating the device with magnets or using someone else's driver card.
Ban on Sleeping in the Cabin and Documentary Proof
The greatest outcry has been caused by the strict enforcement of the ban on taking the regular weekly rest (45 hours) in the truck cabin. While this ban formally existed under the Mobility Package previously, as of 2026, companies are obliged to provide documentary evidence that the driver spent this time in a hotel or proper residential accommodation.
During a roadside check, the driver must provide not only a tachograph printout but also a digital or paper hotel receipt. If an employer attempts to circumvent the law by renting cheap apartments with inadequate sanitary conditions for dozens of drivers simultaneously, the company faces not only a massive fine (from 3,000 to 5,000 euros) but also the risk of losing its international transport license due to the loss of Good Repute.
"Flexible Return" and the Use of CRM Systems
Alongside the strict limitations, the legislation introduced certain concessions. A "flexible return home" rule has been introduced, allowing a driver to exceed the permitted daily or weekly driving time by 1 or 2 hours, respectively, if they are returning home or to the company's operational center to take their weekly rest. However, every such exceedance must be strictly documented on a tachograph printout citing Article 12.
Under such complex calculations, manual monitoring of crew schedules becomes impossible. Logistics companies are massively integrating telematics data directly into their own ERP and TMS systems. Platforms like CarGoPro allow dispatchers to see a driver's remaining working hours in real-time and automatically reject or reassign transport orders that would result in an AETR violation. Digitalization has transformed from a competitive advantage into a vital necessity for the transport business.