Brussels, 31/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 31 May, the European Parliament's transport and tourism committee gave the go-ahead to a substantial improvement in tachographs (the spies in the cab which track lorry-drivers' time at the wheel). The idea behind introducing them in all lorries in Europe is to ensure a level playing field and proper working conditions for drivers. Drivers who have been able to have proper rests are less at risk of road accidents, but current tachographs are too easy to tamper with, making it urgent to introduce tamper-proof tachographs as soon as possible. MEPs on the transport committee adopted a report by Silviana Adriana Ticau (S&D, Romania) amending the Commission's initial proposals. New tachographs will have to be installed by 2017 and the rapporteur said that the new rules will improve the way tachographs work, make it possible to use sat-navs and wireless control mechanisms (to reduce the number of immobilised vehicles) and will encourage a harmonised interface with other smart transport applications. She said she wanted privacy to be respected. In the long-term, drivers' licences may be merged with lorry-drivers' licences, but the EP wants the Commission to see whether this is feasible. The MEPs ignored the European Building Confederation (EBC)'s request for tachographs not to be needed for vehicles going no further than 150 km (the current limit is 50 km), preferring to go for 100 km. Saïd El Khadraouï (S&D, Belgium) said that allowing lorries to travel further would make it more dangerous for drivers and would make it more likely that lorries would cause accidents. The vote in first reading at the EP is expected during the July 2012 plenary. (MD/transl.fl)