Does France use ‘AI’ speed radars? What does this mean for drivers?

Reader Question: Is it true France will begin using AI speed cameras in 2025? Does this change anything for drivers?

It is correct that France is planning, from next year, to adapt some of its speed cameras using new technologies, including AI, in order to detect more kinds of offence automatically.

An annexe report to the 2025 budget, currently going through parliament, sets out ‘performance’ objectives for road safety next year.

One of these includes: “making full use of innovative technologies, such as extending the use of AI to improve the performance of automatic cameras”.

The report also states that “depending on the technological capabilities and the necessary adaptations, new offences will be able to be detected by several hundred cameras”.

It says these will include: 

• Driving without a seatbelt 

• Driving too close to another vehicle

• Using a mobile phone whilst driving 

These are therefore expected to come into force next year – provided the 2025 budget the bill it is attached to passes – although as of yet it is unclear which of France’s 4,000 plus speed cameras will be equipped with the new technology. 

A public tender will be carried out to find companies to work on the project, and radar manufacturers will also assist with the implementation. 

What does it change for drivers? 

Although France already has a law in place allowing more than a dozen driving offences to be detached by automatic cameras, most current cameras can only pick up on speeding or drivers going through red lights (a few of the latest generation can also detect if a car is being driven by a single driver in a car-sharing lane).

Read more: LIST: What offences will France’s new AI cameras be able to detect?

So, it appears that the use of AI is expected to allow for more kinds of offence to be picked up by cameras in reality, as opposed to theory. 

Some, however, argue the use of AI to further enhance the cameras will lead to more fines being wrongly issued.

However, you will still be able to contest a fine (see our article below on how to do so) if it has been issued by a speed camera or radar using AI technology. 

Read more: How to contest a driving or speeding fine in France

More than 30 million fines were issued in 2023 for driving offences, including 17 million by radars. 

Read more: Mystery over how French driving fines continue to reach UK addresses