Back to overview

From December 24, 2025, an OSNMA Smart Tacho 2 will be mandatory in all newly registered vehicles. OSNMA stands for Open Service Navigation Message Authentication. This is a new technology that ensures the GPS signals in your tachograph are always authentic and reliable. This way, you can be confident that you are always looking at the right data.

But wasn’t there already a new Smart 2 tachograph?

The current Smart 2 tachograph is a transitional version. It does not yet include OSNMA functionality. Although this feature was already part of the technical specifications, OSNMA was not operational when the Smart 2 was first introduced. In the summer of 2025, the European Commission published the so-called Service Declaration for OSNMA. This means that from December 24, 2025, all newly registered vehicles must be equipped with a Smart 2 tachograph that supports OSNMA.

What exactly is OSNMA?

OSNMA stands for Open Service Navigation Message Authentication. It is a new feature of the European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Galileo. Galileo is Europe’s own satellite navigation system, comparable to the U.S. GPS. It was designed and developed by the European Union in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). The goal of this system is to provide an independent, highly accurate, and reliable source of satellite navigation for both civil and commercial use. Galileo offers global positioning and timing information with very high accuracy, which is essential for critical applications in various sectors, including transport.

How OSNMA works on your tachograph

OSNMA technology is specifically designed to guarantee the authenticity of navigation messages from Galileo satellites. Its primary function is to combat spoofing, where fake navigation signals are transmitted to mislead GNSS receivers. Without protection, this could make it appear as if your vehicle is in a different location than it really is. OSNMA significantly enhances the security and reliability of Galileo’s navigation services.

With OSNMA, this is no longer possible. Each satellite signal carries a kind of digital signature. Your tachograph can immediately verify whether the signal truly comes from the satellite and has not been manipulated. You can compare it to a passport stamp: only the real stamp from border control counts. No valid stamp? Then entry is denied.

Do you need an OSNMA tachograph?

At present, there are two versions of the Smart 2 tachograph:

  • Transitional Smart Tacho 2 – without OSNMA (current generation)
  • OSNMA Smart Tacho 2 – with OSNMA (mandatory in new vehicles from late 2025)

Vehicles registered before December 23, 2025, may continue operating with the transitional Smart Tacho 2 (G2V2). They do not need to be upgraded. For vehicles put into service after December 24, 2025, the OSNMA version is mandatory.

If you already own a vehicle with a tachograph, you do not need to switch to an OSNMA version.