Noisy vehicles: sound radars land in France, all the details of the device “unique in the world”

The roar of engines. It is a characteristic noise that thrills speed freaks and enrages thousands of residents across France. But that the owners of large engines be on their guard, they could soon be fined in the event of excess decibels.

Because France is launching the world’s first experiment with radars sound, as revealed this Monday, January 3 Le Parisien . A device that mainly targets motorcycles, and which should make it possible to verbalize too noisy cars. This Tuesday, the first sound radar will be installed in Saint-Lambert in the Yvelines, in the presence of the Minister for Ecological Transition, on a portion of the road very popular with two-wheeler enthusiasts.

Eight cities concerned by the experiment

After a period of test on the circuit, the measurement comes into its field experimentation phase.

In total, eight municipalities will be equipped with sound radars in the coming weeks, specify Le Parisien : Paris, Nice, Toulouse, Bron, Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine), Villeneuve-le-Roi (Val-de-Marne), Saint-Forget (Yvelines) and therefore Saint-Lambert (Yvelines).

How does it work?

Each time, three radars from three different manufacturers will be installed side by side on sections of road “in built-up areas” and limited to 50 km / h. They will be able to measure in real time the sound level emitted by the vehicles.

No verbalization is planned as long as the test phase is in progress. But the first fines could fall before the end of the year 2022, specifies the MoDem deputy Jean-Noël Barrot, indicating at the passage of the noise level not to be exceeded had not yet been decided.

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The measurement should however only concern owners who modify the parameters of factory of their vehicles. And the bill could be steep. The device – “a world first” specifies the deputy – provides for a fine of 135 euros for offenders.

Noise pollution, an abyss for state funds

With these sound radars, the government wants to tackle a problem that is difficult to control by the police. However, noise pollution would cost the State up to 47 billion euros per year, according to Ademe, the Ecological Transition Agency.