The vehicle inspection process is at a decisive turning point in Europe, and France is no exception. Future developments could disrupt our driving and vehicle ownership habits, with particular attention paid to pollution. Get ready, as the new measures could make vintage car enthusiasts cringe!
An Inevitable Evolution
The vehicle inspection process is likely to evolve significantly in the coming years in Europe and potentially in France. Even though EU directives are not necessarily applied uniformly across all member states, the current paths being followed by decision-makers indicate the evolution that could be seen in vehicle inspections by the end of the decade. In particular, a new pollution test could cause quite a stir.
Vehicle inspections could measure fine particles in the near future © Yayimages
Motorcyclists are angry after the vehicle inspection, but the French as a whole can consider themselves “lucky,” as they currently escape more stringent pollution measures during biannual inspections. Indeed, the only smoke value tested during visits is opacity, which ultimately only serves to assess the overall thickness of exhaust gases. Nothing more. However, in some of our neighboring countries, pollution tests go much further. It took time to have approved and properly calibrated particle measurement devices, but Belgians and Germans have been undergoing this for some time now. In France, nothing is official yet, but it is part of the potential evolution of vehicle inspections in the coming years, alongside other more or less significant changes.
Polluting Cars Soon to be Banned from the Roads?
We mentioned this back in November, the most significant change that could occur in vehicle inspections in France is the measurement of fine particles. This would obviously target anyone who has removed the particulate filter, which normally already results in a rejection. Except that this time, it would certainly lead to a re-inspection.
Proposed measures may not all be adopted by France © Dekra
Dekra has confirmed to us that fine particle tests are indeed part of the evolution paths. However, we asked one of the leading French companies in the sector which particles are being referred to. Because while PM10 particles are now relatively easy to measure, they are far from being the most harmful to humans. In contrast to the smaller PM2.5 particles, which have a much greater ability to penetrate the respiratory tract. Dekra has confirmed that the project is to test PM2.5 at the European level.
And that’s not all: in addition to fine particles, inspectors may one day have to check the infamous nitrogen oxides (NOx), characteristic of diesel engines but not exclusively. Here again, it is primarily a matter of public health rather than environmental concerns, even though nitrogen oxides contribute to acid rain.
In short, many poorly maintained, older vehicles, or those whose pollution control systems are no longer functioning optimally will find themselves sidelined. But we are not there yet: these directives are not imposed on member states, which retain their sovereignty and the final say on the changes to be implemented. They should rather be seen as favorable evolutions that should be followed…
Other Changes in Vehicle Inspections?
Beyond pollution, other tests could be conducted. And some of them will indeed be carried out, such as measuring the maximum speed on two-wheelers limited to 45 km/h. Starting March 1, 2026, speedometers will be introduced during tests on all category L vehicles. However, European directives also mention tests on driver assistance systems (ADAS) to ensure they are still functioning correctly.
The fight against odometer fraud could finally be part of the mix of measures, as well as checking for safety recalls. Let’s remember that since last year, any vehicle equipped with a Takata airbag with “Stop Drive” that has not had the airbag replaced is failed during the vehicle inspection.
With these changes on the horizon, vehicle inspections could soon become a real obstacle course for owners of older or poorly maintained vehicles. An opportunity for some to do a major clean-up in their garage, or an additional source of stress for others. In any case, the future of vehicle inspections looks full of challenges and opportunities to improve safety and the environment.
