Regulatory map › France
ROAT-JUR-FR · profil countries
Conditions for testing and operating automated vehicles, competent authorities and sources.
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Selected sources checked: · Working research overview · targeted review of provisions
Scope: Testing + automated passenger transport system
The testing regime was checked in the consolidated text as of 7 September 2026, including the 2020 amendment. The operational branch is limited to passenger transport. The current text of R3152-3 was confirmed directly on Légifrance. This review concerns specific provisions; freight transport, full civil liability and all implementing requirements remain outside its scope.
The glossary explains each term’s tasks, legal status and sources.
Permission is issued by the minister responsible for transport following an opinion from the interior minister and, where appropriate, other relevant authorities. It specifies roads, functions and routes; it lasts no more than two years and can be renewed once.
For an automated passenger transport system, the service organiser takes the commissioning decision. This is based on safety dossiers and favourable expert opinions, which may contain conditions. Before launch, the decision is notified to the prefect, the designated authority and road managers.
The organiser is responsible for preparing safety dossiers and the launch decision. The operator establishes an operational safety management system. During testing, the permit holder ensures remedial action for events threatening safety.
During testing, the driver must be able to deactivate the system; a driver outside the vehicle must be able to take control to ensure safety. For remote intervention in a transport system, R3152-3 requires an authorised, trained and medically fit person.
The pre-launch dossier covers the safety management system, modifications, test results and an updated safety demonstration. Experimental passenger transport or operation without an on-board driver starts with a passenger-free testing phase, whose results are reported to the minister.
The testing regime allocates liability for offences between the driver and permit holder depending on the system’s state; the holder’s criminal liability for specified consequences requires proven fault. Separate Article L123-2 addresses the manufacturer or its representative during automated driving under statutory conditions.
These rules must not be reduced to “the manufacturer is liable for everything”. Compensation, insurance and transport-system-specific rules require separate assessment.
The practical operational branch covers passenger transport. A new or substantially modified system requires a decision under R3152-11. If expert opinion conditions are not met within the specified period, the service cannot operate.
Freight transport and full sector-specific authorisations were not re-verified in this pilot.
The same seven questions, with answers side by side.
Consolidated text as of 7 September 2026 checked directly on Légifrance; Articles 1, 2, 2-1 and 2-2. Text information last updated on 24 May 2019.
Open official source ↗Consolidated text as of 7 September 2026 checked directly on Légifrance, including the 2020 amendments; Articles 2–5, 10–12 and 15.
Open official source ↗Current article page retrieved on 7 September 2026; it identifies the version in force from 1 September 2022.
Open official source ↗Current text as of 7 September 2026 checked directly on Légifrance; article in force since 1 September 2022. Training and medical fitness of the person performing remote intervention were checked.
Open official source ↗Current article page retrieved on 7 September 2026; it identifies the version in force from 1 September 2022.
Open official source ↗Current article page retrieved on 7 September 2026; text in force from 11 July 2025, including Act 2025-622.
Open official source ↗Related ROAT records: ROAT-2026-0307 · ROAT-2026-0308 · ROAT-2026-0176
ROAT. France — country profile. ROAT Observatory. Working research overview; targeted source review on 7 September 2026. https://roat.sk/en/jurisdictions/france/.
Add the access date. Web profiles may change; save the PDF as well to preserve the material used. When making a claim about the law, cite the legislation and provision identified in the answer.
The practical answers use the same evidence as the country comparison. Earlier research material with its own dates is retained below.
Jurisdictions › France
ROAT-JUR-FR
France regulates the socio-technical automated road transport system — vehicle, technical system, route or zone and service organisation — rather than the vehicle alone. Technical approval is necessary but not sufficient: a prior safety demonstration, qualified independent opinions and a formal mise-en-service decision by the organiser stand between approval and operation.
Ordonnance 2021-443, Décret 2021-873, Code des transports R3151/R3152; freight extension by Décret 2024-1063.
In Module 01 · snapshot 2026-08-25 review snapshot
| Regime | Technical approval | Road access / operation | Actor allocation | Liability / risk | Behavioural rules | Infrastructure | International / cross-border | Range · asynchrony | Configuration family |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FrancePrior safety demonstration + qualified-body opinions + organiser decision of mise en service | N3 | N3 | N3 | N2 | N3 | N2 | N2 | 1 · Mild | Deployment-assurance configuration – system safety-case / organiser-decision variant |
France Deployment-assurance configuration – system safety-case / organiser-decision variant | |||||||||
In Module 02 · snapshot 2026-09-07 review snapshot
| Regime | Deployment gate | Remote human role | Dominant deployment model | Legal status | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France – current law | Prior system safety demonstration + qualified independent opinions + formal mise-en-service decision | Qualified remote intervention personnel integrated into system operation | System/service safety-assurance model | In force | High |
France – current law | |||||
Sources