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From 2025, a completely new radar could well change the daily lives of French motorists. Called “Hydre”, this new device, designed to measure noise pollution generated by vehicles, will not only detect speeding. It is specifically intended to punish vehicles that are too noisy!
This new radar is developed by Bruitparif, a center specializing in sound evaluation in Île-de-France, marks an important – and terrifying for motorists – development in road traffic control. Its objective is to reduce noise pollution, a scourge for many residents living near roads.
Between 10 and 44 vehicles affected per day
The radar is equipped with sensors and a high-performance antenna, capable of detecting and precisely measuring the sound level of nearby vehicles. As soon as a vehicle exceeds the threshold of 85 decibels, the ticket is triggered. This threshold was determined taking into account the characteristics of standard vehicles which, generally, do not exceed 80 decibels.
The first tests of the Hydra radar have been carried out since 2022 in several French municipalities, including Paris, Nice, Toulouse, and the Lyon suburbs. These tests showed the effectiveness of the device: it can detect noisy vehicles within a radius of 15 meters, even in the presence of several cars in circulation. According to Bruitparif, between 10 and 44 vehicles were reported per day during the experiments, depending on the areas and traffic volume. The town of Bron, in the suburbs of Lyon, will be the first to see the introduction of the first fines linked to these speed cameras from 2025.
Drivers whose vehicles exceed the noise limit risk a 4th class fine, i.e. a fine of 135 euros. The arrival of the Hydra radar will be combined in 2025 with the measurement by existing devices of three new offenses: the use of the telephone while driving, failure to wear a seat belt and failure to respect safety distances. More than ever, we must be impeccable on the road.
In brief
The State will install a new type of radar on our roads next year. This already promises to give motorists a bad time for reasons other than simple speeding.
