Barnes tachograph card test tool
A contact card test tool for ISO/IEC 7816 covering the EU smart tachograph regulations at G2V2. It verifies all four card types — driver, workshop, control and company — from the first generation through to the current G2V2, on a single platform. Released May 2026.
The testing problems this solves
With the EU G2V2 smart tachograph mandate now fully in force — and extending to light commercial vehicles from 1 July 2026 — issuing a non-conforming card costs more than ever. This gives card manufacturers, personalisation bureaux, issuing authorities and fleet operators a way to verify every card before it reaches a vehicle.
Scope of verification
| Card types supported | Four types: driver card, workshop card, control card and company card |
|---|---|
| Generations supported | G1 through G2V2 on one platform, from backward compatibility with the first generation to the current G2V2 EU smart tachograph regulations |
| Regulations | Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/799 of 18 March 2016, covering G1 and G2V1, and (EU) 2021/1228 of 16 July 2021, covering G2V2 |
| What is tested | Elementary file checks across the master file and the G1 and G2 applications, covering presence, length and value; PKI verification, confirming authenticity through digital signatures; mutual authentication sequences, that is the cryptographic handshakes for both G1 and G2V2; secure session management, covering the confidentiality and integrity of the encrypted channel; and the data structures specific to G2V2, including the extended 56-day activity data and the new elementary file formats of 2021/1228 |
| Reporting | An instant result summary with pass or fail, error codes and comments; a detailed report for every test; and the Details Tree and Engineering Log views |
| Configuration | A PC/SC reader for contact chips — ISO/IEC 7816 Class A, B and C, T=0 and T=1, full-size slot, 5 V, 3 V and 1.8 V, USB CCID — with the dedicated software |
Card types and key structures
Under the EU smart tachograph PKI, the keys and certificates held differ by card type.
| Card | Holder and purpose | Main cryptographic elements |
|---|---|---|
| Driver Card | The driver. Records driving, rest, work and position, and identifies the holder | Card_MA / Card_Sign |
| Company Card | The transport operator. Locks and unlocks the vehicle unit data for the company, and reads company data | Card_MA |
| Workshop Card | The approved workshop or calibration centre. Installs, activates, pairs, calibrates and inspects the vehicle unit | Card_MA / Card_Sign / KM-WC / KDSRC |
| Control Card | Police and enforcement authorities. Inspects beyond the company lock and reads data | Card_MA / KDSRC |
The generations
| Generation | Position |
|---|---|
| G1 | The first-generation digital tachograph |
| G2V1 | Smart Tachograph Version 1 |
| G2V2 | Smart Tachograph Version 2, aligned with the Mobility Package, with additional position and border-crossing functions |
G2 cards must remain backward compatible with G1, and there are interoperability requirements between G2V1 and G2V2 as well.
Scope
The tool centres on functional verification of the card's file structure, personalisation and cryptographic sequences. It is not a complete type approval facility covering the vehicle unit, motion sensor, GNSS and DSRC.
The following cannot be established from the manufacturer's published information, so we confirm each point before proposing: whether all four card types fall under the standard licence; whether the G2V1 and G2V2 test suites are licensed separately; how keys are managed for the RSA-based G1 and the ECC-based G2; how test ERCA and MSCA certificates are generated and imported; whether testing is possible with production keys kept inside an HSM; and how far type approval testing is included.
Example configurations
Which elements you need depends on the use case. At quotation we always confirm the interface scope of the reader and the licences.
| Use | Components |
|---|---|
| Standard configuration for EMV cards | CPT v4 or CPT 3000v3, a Barnes 3K7 Triple Interface Reader, the PVT scripts for the schemes concerned, the certification module for those schemes, and annual maintenance with script updates |
| Configuration including cryptographic verification | The above plus the Host Simulation Module and issuer keys, or the HSM Interface and the HSM concerned |
| Developing your own card application | CAT 3000v3CL or its successor, Tcl Script Development, contact and contactless readers, and Host Simulation or an HSM if required |
| Mobile and UICC | The ML configuration of CPT or CAT, an SWP reader, an NFC reader, real handsets, and the mobile scheme scripts concerned |
| Tachograph card | The G2V2 Tachograph Card Test Tool, an ISO/IEC 7816 reader, the G1, G2V1 and G2V2 test suites, the licence for the card types concerned, test certificates and key sets, and an HSM if required |
Where it is used
- Pre-shipment QC at card manufacturers and personalisation bureaux
- Card verification by issuing authorities
- Compliance checks by fleet and transport operators
Certification itself is carried out at an accredited test laboratory, and the approval is issued by EMVCo or the payment scheme concerned. The current scope is confirmed at quotation.