Overview
- Under a 2022 law taking effect January 1, 2027, communes, intercommunalities and departments can fund and request automated radars on their 700,000 km of local roads.
- Any device must be cleared by the prefect after a review by the departmental road‑safety commission and an accident study that shows the site is justified.
- Reports describe new SCAT units that use AI to spot speeding, red‑light running, phone use and missing seatbelts in a single pass, which can trigger multiple fines and up to eight license points.
- Revenue from infractions continues to flow to the State, and a mayors’ group says the lack of revenue sharing could deter towns that must cover purchase and upkeep costs.
- France had about 4,819 radar units at the end of 2025, and the motorists’ group 40 Millions d’automobilistes warns local control could turn placement into a political tool.