For the past few days, we have seen a rumor swelling that technical control may soon take place every year for certain vehicles. True or false?
Reading certain articles, it is certain that many French motorists are now convinced that the regulation of technical control will change in 2025. Set every two years in France as in many countries – with a first control after 4 years on new vehicles -, this compulsory passage in an approved center to check different security points would be about to be brought back to one year for vehicles over 10 years old.
We are still very far from it. So where does this rumor that flowed on the web comes from? It all starts in an alert formulated by the Tüv, a real institution in Germany in terms of quality control and particularly sharp on the process of inspection of cars. This alert was relayed by German magazine Der Spiegel. For the Tüv, a very large number of poor-condition vehicles circulate across the Rhine, including 150,000 with dangerous defects for safety. Based on this observation, the association has made a simple recommendation, with the desire to alert politicians on a sensitive subject.
At the stage of reflection in Germany, the revision of the technical control period would therefore already be acted in France … Big news! Of course, the authorities are aware of the aging of the car fleet -the average age of a vehicle in circulation exceeds 11 years in France -, and the consequences that this can have on road safety. Of course, law on technical control bills have been tabled in recent years, others have even been followed by a change in legislation as for two-wheelers.
But it stops there! It is therefore completely false to assert that technical control will necessarily harden this year. This does not mean that it will not happen in the short or medium term, but such a change will probably not be made of a snap of the fingers. This would require a certain logistics, if only so as not to engorge the approximately 6,750 approved centers scattered in the country.
Imposing a technical control every year would be particularly unpopular having regard to the high number of motorists who lead vehicles manufactured before 2015. Not to mention that it would first affect the most fragile households, implying an additional expenditure for them in their budget AUTO. In the current situation, such an announcement of the government would undoubtedly be talking.
Today, technical control costs an average of 75 euros in the territory, and it is not uncommon for it to impose repairs to vehicles in poor condition. With the increase in prices charged in garages and inflation on spare parts, the bill can quickly increase. The transition from technical control from two to a year would certainly be very bad news for several million French people. Let them be reassured, it is, for the moment, although a rumor …