Roadmap for advanced digital signature in road transport

The advanced digital signature in road freight transport is the key element to grant full legal and regulatory validity to the electronic transport document.

The advance of digitalization has generated doubts about which type of signature is valid, which is mandatory and why it is essential to use the correct one.

In this post we analyze what is required in electronic transport documents, the different types of existing signatures and why the advanced digital signature in transport is the standard that should be implemented.

What is the advanced digital signature in transportation and why is it essential?

In the transport of goods, documents prove deliveries, damages, liabilities and contractual obligations. Whereas a handwritten signature and the company’s stamp were sufficient on paper, in electronic form, on the other hand, the legal validity depends on the type of signature used.

It is not simply a matter of “digitally signing”, but of doing so with the appropriate level of security, identification and traceability.

And this point is important because transport documents in paper format are going to disappear if we take into account the regulatory evolution, which obliges us to know the characteristics that electronic versions must have.

The Land Transport Regulation (ROTT) establishes the characteristics that electronic transport documents must meet, and these requirements coincide with what the eIDAS Regulation defines as an advanced electronic signature.

Advanced digital signature of transportation in the eIDAS Regulation

Regulation (EU) 910/2014, known as eIDAS, regulates electronic identification and trust services in the European Union. Article 26 states that the advanced electronic signature must:

• Be uniquely linked to the signatory.
• Allow identification of the signatory.
• Created using electronic signature creation data that the signatory can use, with a high level of confidence, under his exclusive control.
• Be linked to the data signed by it in such a way that any subsequent modification of the data is detectable.

These features ensure a secure digital environment, where document authorship and integrity are protected.

Types of electronic signature and what is required in transportation

Before implementing an advanced digital signature in transportation, it is essential to distinguish between the different levels of digital signature.

You can expand this information in the post Types of digital signature in road transport documentation and when to use them. Here we are going to make a small summary:

Simple electronic signature

It is any set of electronic data that is used as a signature. For example:

• Type the name at the end of an email.
• Insert a signature image into a PDF.
• Click “I accept” without further technical guarantees.

It has legal validity, but its probative value is limited.

Advanced electronic signature

Meets the requirements of eIDAS and the ROTT:

• Unequivocal identification of the signatory.
• Unique link between signature and signatory.
• Exclusive control by the signatory.
• Integrity of the signed document.

This is the minimum level recommended for electronic transport documents with evidentiary effects and the level required in cases such as the national consignment note or the eCMR in international transport.

Qualified electronic signature

It is an advanced signature created with a qualified certificate and a qualified signature creation device. It has a legal status equivalent to a handwritten signature throughout the European Union.

This level may be expressly required in certain administrative procedures.

What is required in electronic transport documents

In road transport, electronic documents cannot be limited to a simple signature. To guarantee their validity, they must incorporate an advanced digital signature in transport that ensures:

• Integrity: that it cannot be modified without leaving a trace
• Authenticity: it must be possible to prove who has signed it.
• Non-repudiation: that the signatory cannot deny his authorship

Common misconceptions and misconceptions about digital signatures in transport

We are going to raise some real situations that we frequently hear in the industry around the digitization of transport documents with integrated advanced signature and analyze how they should be addressed.

Scenario 1: “The driver signs on the tablet with his finger, this is already a digital signature”.

Signing on a touch screen is convenient and commonplace. But technically, tracing a signature with your finger does not automatically convert the process into an advanced electronic signature.

If there is no robust identification system for the signer; a cryptographic mechanism that guarantees the integrity of the document; and a unique link between the signature and the signer, then we are dealing with a simple electronic signature, not an advanced one.

Thus, to be valid as an advanced digital signature in transportation, a biometric signature system must be included, such as the one included in the FIELDEAS Track and Trace Smart Docs Hub, which collects all the data of the signature trace and, in case of litigation, a cryptographic expert can corroborate its validity.

Scenario 2: “We scan the waybill and save it in PDF”.

Digitizing a paper document does not convert it into an electronically signed electronic document, much less a waybill or CMR.

A scanned transport document does not guarantee integrity; it does not prove that the document has not been tampered with; it does not offer digital traceability.

Therefore, it is important that the document is generated electronically from the beginning so that the advanced digital signaturecan be included from the beginning.

For example, Smart Docs Hub offers different paths for document creation, in line with the flexibility offered by the platform.

Scenario 3: “We’ve never had any problems, so why complicate things?”

It is common for companies to operate for years without significant incidents. However, the risk is there:

• In roadside inspections
• In case of litigation for damage or loss of goods
• When discrepancies arise regarding the content of the document
• When the authenticity of a merchandise acceptance is questioned

At that point, the quality of the signature makes the difference between a strong test and a weak test.

Adopting an advanced digital signature in transportation is not merely a matter of technology, but of legal risk management. It is an investment in security, compliance and protection against future conflicts.

Advanced digital signature on Smart Docs Hub transport

FIELDEAS Smart Docs Hub gives you the flexibility to sign transport documents with advanced electronic signature, complying with all legal and juridical guarantees.

The types of advanced digital signature included are:

• Digital certificate. It can be manual or automatic (by means of a corporate digital seal), eliminating paper management at the time of issuance.
• Biometric signature. Specially designed for drivers and recipients, it collects evidence such as speed, pressure, acceleration, geolocation and device, encrypting it within the document itself.
• OTP signature. Through a unique code associated to the telephone number or e-mail of the person who is going to sign the document.

FIELDEAS Track and Trace has always been committed to the advanced electronic signature, even before the arrival of the ROTT modification.

Therefore, the Smart Docs Hub solution provides flexibility by including different modes of advanced digital signature throughout the transport process, requesting it in the different actions of verification of events that occur (collection of goods, control in transit, subcontracting, arrival at the platform…), and full legal and regulatory guarantee by complying with the requirements of eIDAS.

Likewise, the flexibility of FIELDEAS Track and Trace Smart Docs Hub is also given by its multi-channels, since it offers different channels for document management (Web, App T&T, App Lite, App Totem, Remote Signature; WhatsApp Channel), guaranteeing a correct adaptation to the multiple transport models applied in the market.