‘Intelligent’ traffic lights appearing across several French communes

Several towns and communes in France are installing or testing ‘intelligent’ traffic lights to encourage motorists to stick to speed limits and improve pedestrian safety.

Unlike conventional traffic lights, they adjust how they operate in response to real-time conditions rather than following a fixed cycle.

Around 1,000 are already in operation in France, although there is no official national register tracking their deployment.

Lights that respond to vehicle speed

One type of smart traffic light is known in France as a feu récompense (reward traffic light). These systems are designed to encourage motorists to respect speed limits by adapting the light according to vehicle speed.  

In Baisieux (Nord), the town describes the system as a feu récompense that ‘stays green when the speed limit is respected’. The principle is to reward drivers travelling at the correct speed by allowing them to pass without stopping.

The installation was carried out on a trial basis with the Métropole Européenne de Lille (MEL), as part of a wider plan to improve safety on secondary roads. 

In Faverolles (Eure-et-Loir), two smart reward lights were also installed in September 2025. Here the light is red by default and turns green when an approaching vehicle is travelling at the correct speed. 

In Albi (Tarn), a similar system was tested. The light measures vehicle speed and allows drivers travelling at the correct speed to pass without stopping, while vehicles approaching too quickly encounter a red light and so must stop.

In Couzeix (Haute-Vienne), a feu vert récompense was announced in February 2026 and installed for a six-month trial aimed at reducing speed while testing an alternative to traditional traffic-calming measures. The system remains red by default and turns green when a vehicle approaches at 50km/h or below. If the vehicle is speeding, the light stays red. 

A feu récompense is not a speed camera or an automatic fine system. Its purpose is to encourage drivers to respect speed limits by adapting the light sequence rather than directly sanctioning motorists.

However, if a driver is caught by police for running a red light, the same penalties apply as for any other red-light offence: a €135 fine and a four-point deduction from the driving licence.

French road-safety guidance specifies that feux récompense are reserved for specific locations: they must be installed only within built-up areas, away from intersections and pedestrian crossings, and they use speed detection to allow vehicles travelling at the correct speed to pass without stopping.

A different type of smart light: protecting pedestrians

Not all traffic lights are designed to slow vehicles. Some are intended mainly to make pedestrian crossings safer. 

In Achicourt, near Arras in Pas-de-Calais, a new intelligent traffic light was installed to help pedestrians cross safely, particularly around school entry and exit times. 

When there is no particular need, the light remains inactive. The Communauté Urbaine d’Arras explains that “the light remains switched off so as not to slow down traffic unnecessarily”. 

If a pedestrian wants to cross and vehicles are present, the system reacts progressively. If the pedestrian waits for three to five seconds, the light changes to flashing amber warning drivers to slow down. 

If the pedestrian continues waiting for more than five seconds, the light turns red for vehicles, allowing the crossing to take place safely. After the pedestrian has crossed, the light automatically switches off and returns to standby mode. 

A pedestrian call button is also available to request that vehicles stop when needed.