The driver card is an essential component of the digital tachograph system.

It is a personal document issued to an individual professional driver.

The card contains a microchip that securely stores the driver's activity data.

Before starting a journey in a vehicle equipped with a digital tachograph, the driver must insert their personal card into the device.

The card then records all their activities: driving times, other work, periods of availability, and breaks/rest periods.

It also stores data about the vehicles driven and any faults or events.

This data is stored for at least 28 days on the card itself.

The transport company is legally required to download the data from the driver card regularly (at least every 28 days) and from the vehicle unit (at least every 90 days) for storage and analysis.

Every professional driver operating a vehicle that falls under the EU tachograph rules must possess their own unique, personal driver card.

It is illegal to drive without one, use someone else's card, or have more than one valid card.