How flespi and Ruptela are automating Tacho Compliance for fleet management platforms

For decades, fleet managers have been running around behind drivers, hounding them for cards, battling incompatible file types, and manually logging in to systems to stay up to speed with ever-changing EU directives. The routine is ordinary, time-consuming, and potentially error-prone.

What if remote tachograph file downloads, protected company card use, and regulator-ready storage could all be handled automatically, in real time, without further engineering?

That is what flespi set out to solve. They have developed a complete, remote tachograph solution designed to eliminate manual procedures, simplify compliance, and enable seamless integration of Ruptela devices, including tachograph functionality, into fleet management software platforms.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how the solution works, starting with the middleware that makes seamless integration possible and ending with a smart, scalable setup that meets the demands of modern EU fleet management.

flespi and streamlining integration

flespi is a telematics middleware platform that bridges the difference between telematics hardware and software solutions. It offers a unified API that normalizes data from various GPS tracking devices and provides real-time analytics and device management across platforms. flespi ensures 99.999% uptime for seamless, fault-free data integration in scale.

One of flespi’s standout capabilities is its remote tachograph data download functionality. This enables fleet managers to automatically collect all legally required tachograph files, including DDD, TGD, and V1B formats, without manually inserting company or driver cards. All files are securely stored and accessible via API, meeting the EU’s strict 3-year data retention requirements and ensuring full compliance at every step.

flespi also supports:

Remote authentication via the open-source Tacho Bridge application;
Real-time monitoring and automatic retry for failed downloads;
Transparent logging for audit readiness and troubleshooting;
Scalable, cloud-ready infrastructure compatible with Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS.

Ruptela’s advanced tachograph solution

With an ecosystem of GPS tracking systems suitable for fleets of any size, Ruptela has been among the leaders in telematics innovation. With built-in tachograph data extraction and complete compatibility with industry-leading brands such as EFAS, Stoneridge, and VDO, our HCV5 and HCV5 Lite devices are tailor-made for commercial vehicles.

HCV5 GPS tracker is our high-performance solution for heavy commercial vehicles. It features:

4G+2G connectivity
Advanced GPS tracking and CANbus data reading
Remote driver identification
Rich I/O capabilities for additional sensors and integrations

Tachograph capability is also available with HCV5 Lite by Ruptela. HCV5 Lite delivers advanced fleet management functionality in a streamlined and efficient package. It also offers 4G+2G connectivity and supports key features such as CANbus data integration and a full tachograph solution.

Without the need for custom protocol implementation, both devices effortlessly support the remote download of tachograph files and connect directly to the fleet management software with flespi’s unified API.

How the integrated tachograph solution works

The collaboration between Ruptela and flespi delivers a turnkey tachograph solution that simplifies the compliance process. Here’s how it works:

Device integration. Ruptela HCV5 or HCV5 Lite devices are installed in vehicles. These GPS trackers continuously collect tachograph data in the background.
Data transmission. The devices transmit the data to the flespi platform, which processes and standardizes it using its API engine.
Remote authentication. flespi’s Tacho Bridge application handles secure remote authentication of company cards, removing the need for physical access to tachograph units.
Data storage and access. All files are securely stored in the cloud with long-term retention (up to 10 years), and can be retrieved via API or directly accessed by authorized systems.
Real-time monitoring and logging. The system provides detailed visibility into tachograph operations with automatic retries, real-time status updates, and complete audit logs, ensuring nothing is missed.

Key benefits of the flespi x Ruptela integration

This integration combines reliable hardware with trusted middleware to deliver a scalable, compliance-ready solution for your fleet management software. Here’s what sets it apart:

Simplified integration. The pre-configured connection between Ruptela hardware and flespi eliminates the need for custom development, reducing deployment time.
Cost-effective scalability. Transparent, component-based pricing of flespi’s integration means lower costs as your fleet grows. Combined with a reduced engineering workload, the total cost of ownership stays low.
Cloud flexibility. The solution is fully cloud-ready and compatible with major platforms, making it easy to scale across regions or integrate into existing SaaS fleet management platforms.
Regulation-ready. With automated downloads, long-term storage, and support for the latest Gen2 V2 tachographs, the solution keeps your operations future-proof and audit-ready.

Build smarter, compliant fleets with confidence

For telematics service providers and fleet platforms, the integration of Ruptela and flespi provides a ready-to-launch tachograph solution that simplifies one of the most regulated aspects of fleet management in European Union. Combining hardware reliability with middleware intelligence gives you a complete compliance framework that’s easy to deploy and scale.

Learn more about how you can integrate Ruptela’s tachograph solution into your platform: