Chip card simulation replaces test cards for digital tachograph and the German eHealth market

The Virtual Card Kit simulates chip cards and replaces test cards of all card types

The VCK can be used as a stand-alone smart card simulation or in combination with simulations and test suites from Qumate by achelos. The product is a powerful solution for high quality assurance. The Virtual Card Kit provides reference applications for the mobility sector as well as the German healthcare market.

The Virtual Card Kit allows Plug & Play connectivity

The Virtual Card Kit is conveniently accessed via an Ethernet interface and requires no special drivers. The PC-based simulation is directly connected to the Hardware Box. The virtual card simulation runs in a Java Runtime Environment and uses the box for communication with the outside world.

"The Virtual Card Kit is already firmly established in the German healthcare market as a chip card simulation. With this product extension, achelos provides a convenient solution that meets current market requirements. Consulting, development and testing are among the core competencies of achelos. With the further development of the Virtual Card Kit, we have once again demonstrated our technological leadership in comprehensive simulations and test environments for tachograph cards and all aspects of telematics infrastructure in the German healthcare sector," says Kathrin Asmuth, Managing Partner at achelos.

Compliance with IT security and industry standards requires a high level of expertise and technical support. Therefore the use of a simulation plays a central role before the real availability of test cards. With simulation, all functions and reactions, even those of a defective card, can be tested in a fully automated manner. Thus, development teams receive important information directly and in advance for the actual implementation and save time through the automated execution.

The Virtual Card Kit and its main features:

• supports contactless and contact-based communication to meets the latest requirements of the digital tachograph and the German health care market
• flexible changes of the different applications (e.g. eGK, HBA, SMC) is possible at any time
• included certificates are based on the gematik RU/TU trust space
• simulates physical and logical smart card processes (operating system and card application)
• provides interfaces for reading, storing and changing the internal states of the simulated card operating system
• logs the card activity and supports the manipulation of the card behaviour during runtime
• supports smart card simulations via Ethernet connection for various industries, e.g. tachograph, health

In addition to smart card simulation, achelos also offers a variety of test suites for the various components of the telematics infrastructure in the German healthcare system. Since the introduction of electronic health cards in Germany, the achelos team of experts has been involved in comprehensive consulting, testing and development services and has unique knowledge of the applications and components of the telematics infrastructure.