French Vehicle Inspection Changes Spark Driver Backlash

Will the tightening of the vehicle inspection, scheduled for 2026, push some drivers to stop having it done? Paul, an RMC listener, admits he has not had his done for a long time. “That’s it, it’s over!” Others rail against the pollution check. “That’s not part of road safety, I’m sorry,” laments Audrey.

It was an idea from the European Union: to require an annual inspection for vehicles older than 10 years. But for now, this measure will not be implemented in France, Autoplus reminds us. Last May, France voiced its reservations through Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot and the minister in charge of Europe, Benjamin Haddad.

“Easy money”

Such a possibility would, however, enrage private owners but also… professionals! Pierre, a car dealer, does not mince words this Wednesday on RMC. “You don’t have to be rich or poor to own a vehicle older than 10 years. The dad who wants a small second car still maintains it. I don’t see why we’d take easy money from him every year, for nothing at all,” he says into Estelle Midi’s microphone.

He even fears the reverse effect of what is intended. “People will stop doing the inspection. They are already uninsured.” Jérôme, for his part, addresses the European Union. “It would be good for the technocrats in Brussels to come live for a month in the countryside on a minimum wage where a fifth goes on fuel, before making this kind of decision.”

The EU heavily criticized

“My car is 15 years old, I keep it in good shape, it’s no more dangerous than another. The EU uses the safety argument but behind that they’ll sign the Mercosur and send spoiled meat. We could die of infections because we ate crap but we have to drive clean and spotless? I find that pathetic,” laments Mathieu, a truck driver.

Some are already choosing to ignore the inspection. “I don’t take my technical inspection anymore, it’s finished. I’ll take the risk of the fine,” proudly explains Paul, owner of a 25-year-old car. However, he says he has his car serviced by “professionals” and admits he does not trust the inspection centers.

Audrey, a medical secretary, testifies to the exorbitant cost of going through the inspection: “Last year I had €1,500 in repairs before doing my inspection. It passed on all points except for pollution and I still needed another €1,000. I found that absurd. Pollution is not part of road safety,” emphasizes this RMC listener.

The Takata effect

Beyond the European projects, the French inspection already has to evolve. From January 2026, each inspection will include a check of serious recall campaigns, like the Takata airbags. If the repair has not been carried out, the vehicle will automatically be sent to a re-inspection with a critical defect.

Another novelty: the inspection centers themselves can now be hit with administrative fines of up to €1,500 in case of breaches of the regulations.

Pierre Chasseray, president of the association 40 Million Motorists, believes these changes are necessary but that an annual schedule is not realistic: “I called some managers of inspection centers, I was astonished. They told me it was not a request from the centers, that they were not in favor.”

According to him, it would be more relevant to use the inspection to check new driver assistance systems, which are the source of some incidents, like sudden braking: “We could use the inspection for that verification, because it’s a real road safety issue. The inspection must modernize, obviously, because cars have modernized. Every year? No. It has to be bearable so that the French can comply.”

See also: New French Cars Coming in 2026

A distrust that remains massive

For many motorists, the annual inspection is still seen as a disguised tax rather than a safety measure: “The biggest fault they’ll find will be a windscreen wiper,” quips Pierre. “Let’s concentrate on those who never do the inspection and pollute everyone’s life,” he adds.

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See also: Car Dealers Refuse PureTech Engine Vehicles

About Rahul Mehta 11 Articles
I am Rahul specializes in test drives and in-depth reviews.

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