TachoSync/Smart Card Reader Hardware Configuration
Smart Card Readers
To securely access and download tachograph data, logistics companies must use a company card — an official smart card issued by authorities.
It proves company ownership of vehicles and unlocks access to the data stored in smart tachographs.
Single-slot Smart Card Readers
Single-slot smart card readers are an effective and cheap solution for small companies to manage several company cards. Usually, up to 10 readers can be connected via USB to a single Windows PC/server.
Examples of single-slot smart card readers:
Requirements for single-slot smart card readers:
- Company Card Authenticator installed on the managing PC/server.
- Every single-slot smart card reader may have specific drivers and other requirements.
USB Limitations with Single-slot Smart Card Readers
When using a small number of company cards, standard USB smart card readers are usually sufficient. However, as the number of connected cards increases, USB-based solutions begin to reach practical and architectural limits.
Modern operating systems and USB controllers are designed for general-purpose peripherals, not for handling dozens of continuously active smart card readers in parallel. In larger setups, this can lead to issues such as:
- Unstable device enumeration when many readers are connected.
- Increased likelihood of communication timeouts or unresponsive cards.
- Limited ability to reliably scale beyond a certain number of readers per host.
- Reduced overall stability when readers are frequently accessed simultaneously.
These limitations are not specific to TachoSync or Company Card Authenticator, but are inherent to how USB buses, hubs, and smart card drivers operate at scale.
For environments that require many company cards to be available at the same time (e.g., large fleets or service providers), dedicated "card hotel" solutions (multiple-slot smart card readers) provide a more reliable architecture.
Systems like Lisle Hyper Card racks, are designed specifically for high-density smart card usage and address USB limitations by:
- Centralizing card communication through controlled hardware interfaces.
- Managing card identification and access in a predictable and scalable way.
- Reducing dependency on multiple individual USB readers and hubs.
- Improving stability when dozens of cards are inserted and accessed concurrently.
By using a "card hotel" solution, Company Card Authenticator can operate more reliably in large-scale deployments, ensuring consistent card detection, authentication, and long-term stability. For a deeper technical explanation of USB limitations and how card hotel systems address them, see here.
Multiple-slot Smart Card Readers
Multiple-slot smart card readers are the preferred solution when tens of hundreds of smart cards need to be managed. Multiple-slot readers help avoid most USB limitations and are easily scalable.
Examples of multiple-slot smart card readers:
- Lisle Design Hyper Card Rack readers
- Lisle Design Standard Card readers – limited scalability compared to the Hyper series
More information about Lisle card reader differences can be found here.
Lisle Design Hyper Card Rack requirements:
- Company Card Authenticator installed on the managing PC/server.
- Drivers: Hyper Driver for Windows.
Multiple Rack Configuration
More than one multiple-slot readers can be connected to a server.
In this case, each Lisle Design Hyper Card Rack™ 20 or Hyper Card Rack™ 120 must be configured using the „DIP“ switches.
The DIP switches set the index of the rack in a sequence as a binary number, e.g.:
- First rack: 0000 (all switches off)
- Second rack: 0001 (first switch on)
- Third rack: 0010 (second switch on)
- Fourth rack: 0011 (first and second switches on)
- Etc.
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Troubleshooting
| Cards become unresponsive after inactivity |
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Symptoms
Cause
Workarounds
Option B — Disable USB power management per device
Notes:
For more information: |