The Federal Council wants to roll out roadside displays that warn drivers when their vehicles exceed recommended noise levels, reported RTS. After adopting a report on the issue on Friday, the government said such devices could help curb excessive engine noise, which it described as an avoidable nuisance that harms quality of life and can damage health.
The report examined five potential implementation models and favoured screens equipped with sound-measurement devices. These would show drivers when their vehicles exceed a noise threshold and issue an alert—such as a prompt to slow down. Other variants were discarded for legal and technical reasons. Measuring noise is far more complex than measuring speed, the government notes, because readings are affected by weather conditions and background sound. Current legislation also lacks a defined noise limit, and vehicles have no onboard instruments that would allow drivers to monitor compliance.
The idea of penalties was rejected, along with police checks, vehicle inspections and recorded violations. According to the government, the cost–benefit balance for those options is unfavourable, owing to technical hurdles and the financial and staffing burden they would entail.
In October 2024 the Federal Council updated noise-control regulations and instructed the transport ministry to explore the use of noise radars in more detail.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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