Technology

Smartphone SOS alert saves driver's life in France after crash

Crash Detection system is triggered by violent movement and sends message to emergency services

AI to feature on French iPhones from April 2025

The service has already launched in the US

Telecoms company Free set to launch prepaid mobile phone card in France

These SIM cards are popular with occasional phone users and second-home owners. We explain

practical

Explained: what is the official France Identité app and can foreigners use it?

Health cards are to soon be included, the French prime minister recently announced

French-made hospital respirator revolutionises global healthcare

Cost-effective, open-source machine was developed during the Covid crisis and now aids patients worldwide

British hiker's disappearance in France highlights importance of safety tech

The disappearance of a retired doctor in the Pyrénées underscores the critical role of location-sharing technology in mountain rescue operations

French company transforms athletic experience with innovative smart glasses

Engo's revolutionary display technology offers real-time data in front of you to track performance

French supermarket to trial payment by…the palm of your hand

The trial will coincide with the Paris Olympics. The technology is already used in the US and China

Visually impaired fans get hi-tech goggles to watch sports in France

The technology is not yet widely available but remains free to use at certain venues thanks to partnerships

Full steam ahead for eco-friendly French drones

Inventors are transforming infrastructure inspections with the Hylight, a helium-filled drone dirigible, and the Aéronde, an innovative balloon aircraft

Digital carte Vitale begins in many areas: where and how will it work?

Smartphone application can be used at medical appointments instead of physical card for payments and reimbursements

How to continue listening to BBC radio in France

Longwave support has ended but alternatives exist, even for those who may struggle with technology

Seven essential apps hikers must have in France

From identifying the local flora and fauna, to ensuring you know your route, we highlight six top apps for hikers taking to French trails this spring

What is the ‘FranceConnect’ button used for on websites?

The button appears on over 1,000 French websites

When will universal phone and tablet charger be obligatory in France?

New electronic devices will have the same charging port, meaning one cable can charge all

iPhone12 users in France to get free update over ‘electrowave issue’

Phones were removed from sale earlier this week due to breaking EU regulations with strength of electromagnetic waves

Apple’s iPhone 12 is removed from sale in France due to wave issue

The company has two weeks to fix the problem

Village tries out AI cameras - and stops 8 fires in south of France

The technology, which is also in use in the US and Canada, takes photos every five seconds and monitors for changes

Steep rise in use of medical video-chat booths in French pharmacies

The booths are aimed at patients with minor complaints and link the user to a doctor remotely. There can be added charges to use one

Insoles with reversible aircon is latest from French serial inventor

We ask how 6mm silicon can keep feet warm in winter and cool in summer using the energy of your steps

Tax authorities discover 120,000 undeclared swimming pools in France

Aerial photography and artificial intelligence were used to help identify homeowners who had not declared their swimming pools

App available in France lets you take ID photos at home

This mobile app makes it easier to take official photos for passports, driving licences, and other administrative documents, even if you are out of the country

French towns offer free app to boost social links for over-55s

The app lets older people find events in their area, and connect with others who share the same hobbies, in a bid to combat social isolation

‘Forget raising retirement age in France, AI will lead to job losses’

It makes no sense for France to raise the pension age, with AI set to replace many jobs, says scientist Simon Thorpe

Invisible ‘smart tooth’ monitors chronic disease, says French dentist

The new technology sends bio-markers from saliva to your phone or GP to help detect and control illness

Idea to revitalise rural areas in France: the ‘smart village’

The trend for ‘smart cities’ could be applied to villages to revitalise rural communities

Will MPs back draft bill to ban digital advertising panels in France?

Critics of digital billboards say they waste energy and represent a new stage of the advertising invasion

Grub’s up: Insect farming for human food is French success story

How France has become a global leader in insect protein production and where you might eat it

Deaf people in France enjoy music concerts thanks to vibrating vests

The goal is for those who are hearing-impaired to join in with everybody else, says an association which supplies the vests for events

Meet Reachy, the French robot the world looks set to see a lot more of

The award-winning tech from a Bordeaux company could potentially ‘work’ as a waiter or helping people with disabilities

How France’s tax inspectors use technology to track fraud and evasion

The use of Google satellite images to spot undeclared pools is just one way in which IT is being used

More towns take away street advertising signs in France

Mayors say that the boards cause visual clutter and use too much energy

Tourist app uses AI to recognise French landmarks

The ‘Shazam’ of landmarks allows users to take photos of monuments in Paris and Rennes and have instant access to information about the site

Mobile app helps blind hikers explore France

The Robert Louis Stevenson Trail in the south of France is now fully accessible to visually-impaired people, thanks to an app which reads out regular directions

French fuel shortage: How to check stocks at your local petrol station

With strikes affecting supply at the moment, we suggest different websites and apps to check what stocks petrol stations have around the country

Patissiers watch out? Normandy start-up creates 3D-printed patisserie

The company’s ‘culinary printer’ creates biscuit-cake-like structures that patissiers can add to. It denies that it is trying to ‘replace the pastry chef’

'Paintings from Van Gogh were not designed to float around people'

Philosophers express concern over immersive art. Does it dumb down masterpieces and make us more anti-social?

Glow-in-the-dark marine bacteria trialled as lighting in French town

A French start-up is using bioluminescence technology in a town south west of Paris to create a ‘living laboratory’

French firm's needle-free injections win US government contract

The no-needle system uses space rocket technology to ‘shoot’ medicine into patient

Home heating system uses ‘sunshine’ paint invented in France

The revolutionary paint emits infrared waves which warm a room like sunshine - company says it is cheaper than traditional heating

Green news France: tobacco firm butt tax, 3D printed scuba reef

And an ice-rink in Niort is melted to water trees - we look at current initiatives aimed at supporting the environment

Driving in France: new super-precise speed radars given go-ahead

They are said to be 100% accurate and could remove need for 5km/h ‘margin of error’ before fines are issued, but drivers’ group are angry at zero-tolerance policy

Two mobile apps could help save heart attack victims in France

Both help members of the public give vital first aid in the first few moments while waiting for an ambulance

Driverless cars inspire French AI expert to build tool for blind

The car technology can be adapted to warn blind and partially sighted people of hazards in their path

Eight apps that could save you money on your French supermarket shop

These apps offer consumers cashback deals and price comparisons, as figures show the effect of inflation on shopping habits

Floating phone inventor relocates handset factory from China to France

Wage rises and Covid disruption in China prompted Crosscall’s French founder to build a smartphone factory in Aix-en-Provence

French cancer app to help with side-effects and treatment information

The free app has been designed with doctors and cancer specialists to support patients and is available in English

Health cabins: virtual GP visits becoming more popular in France

Some communes are installing fully equipped ‘health cabins’ that offer basic medical equipment and digital contact with a doctor

New French-invented green heat pump warms homes with sound waves

Developper Cédric François says it took 20 years of research to produce and is ecological, economical and easy to use

Father faces jail for blocking children's internet access in France

The homeowner used an illegal signal jammer that accidentally knocked out phone and internet coverage across two communes

New virus tracking tool estimates Covid contact risks in France

The online tool is developed by Covid data service CovidTracker which is government approved

How did the French government get my phone number?

Millions of people have received an SMS encouraging them to download the Covid-19 tracing application

EU plans to standardise smartphone and tablet chargers to reduce waste

If successful, the measures will prevent manufacturers from creating and supplying their own chargers, cutting down on waste and costs for consumers

Macron changes phone and number after Pegasus spyware scandal

Morocco’s ambassador to France has denied any spying by on Mr Macron, saying the country is a “victim” in this affair, and calling on its accusers to show their proof

Vibrating vests let hearing-impaired feel music at concerts in France

Devices designed to enhance sensation for gamers now being used to allow the hard of hearing to enjoy music by feeling the rhythm instead

France first EU country to adapt its highway code for self-drive cars

The rules explain drivers’ responsibilities when using self-drive cars, and will be in place from 2022

How is France tracking spread of Indian variant of Covid-19?

France has reported very few cases of the variant compared to the UK. Some UK media suggest it is because of its advanced sequencing capabilities, meaning it discovers more cases. Is this correct?

Blind Frenchman’s sight partially restored by pioneering gene therapy

The patient was able to count cups placed in front of him with a success rate of 63% in a test

Glitch turns France’s Tous Anti Covid app (temporarily) English

A technical problem hit the latest update of the country’s test and trace phone application resulting in users taking to social media to complain

Civil liberty groups question facial recognition France tech rollout

France is a world leader in surveillance technology and it is already widely deployed by security forces across the country

Will France’s health pass collect my private information?

The government intends to roll out the pass to facilitate foreign travel and grant people access to large events

Automotive giant aims to offer electric cars with 800km range by 2023

Stellantis was created at the beginning of this year after a merger of Fiat-Chrysler and PSA, a French group that includes car makes such as Peugeot, Citroen and Opel

France Covid health pass: What is it and how would it work?

Plans for digital health passes to allow people to resume leisure activities and travel are being discussed in France and Europe. Here's what we know so far

SpaceX’s ‘secret’ planning go-ahead shocks French village

Elon Musk’s satellite ground station has full planning approval and details show between five and 11 domes will feature on the site in Normandy

France to invest €1bn in cybersecurity as hospitals targeted

Hospitals alone accounted for 11% of all cyber attacks recorded in France in 2020

French scientists thrilled at latest Mars landing

French scientists developed one of seven key instruments on the rover, while geologists in Lyon chose the landing site for the multibillion-euro mission

New ‘Power Road’ in France clears itself of snow

A new road built to stop black ice in Corrèze has already proved its worth... by keeping itself clear of snow thanks to built-in anti-icing technology

10-minute mobile phone Covid tests developed in France

The technology will be ready within a few weeks but the researchers are still looking to partner with a manufacturer for large-scale production

French circus replaces wild animals with holograms

Circuses are innovating new ways to include popular animals in shows, as a ban on using wild animals in performances is planned in France

Covid France: Social distancing tags spark worker row

The boxes being discussed by hygiene company Essity emit a loud noise or vibration if staff get too close to each other

Anti-Covid holograph buttons trialled on French buses

The contactless buttons are being trialled for two months on five buses in the Ile-de-France region

Orange to launch 5G next week in 15 French cities

Nice became the first city in France to have the new technology when SFR launched its services last week

France: Pet owners warned about lost pet scam

Gendarmerie in the Var have warned of scammers targeting the owners of lost pets on website Pet Alert, and demanding payment for the animal’s ‘safe return’

France switches on 5G, but mobile white zones remain

Since 2018, some 2,066 so-called 'white zones', where there is little or no mobile phone coverage, have been identified

Watch: Probe built in Toulouse to bring Mars rock to Earth

In 2026 a space probe built in Toulouse will bring rock samples from Mars back to Earth