Private mobile speed cameras in France: Dexter and radar cars in 2026

More and more of them are appearing on French roads.

Most drivers are already familiar with fixed speed cameras: they are signposted and easy enough to anticipate. Over the past few years, however, another approach has been spreading across mainland France: mobile speed cameras.

The principle is to outsource roadside enforcement to private contractors. These operators are not part of the police, but they drive continuously in unmarked cars. They follow a GPS-planned route, and the radar checks happen automatically whenever a nearby motorist fails to keep within the speed limit.

Cars that bring in big money for the state

Le Journal du Geek has listed the 12 models most commonly used in 2026 as privately operated radar cars:

• Renault Captur
• Citroën C5 Aircross
• Dacia Sandero
• Dacia Duster
• Peugeot 308
• Peugeot 508
• Ford Focus
• Ford Mondeo
• Volkswagen Golf
• Volkswagen Passat
• Seat Leon
• Skoda Octavia

Naturally, this is not an exact science, and it certainly does not mean that every vehicle of these types is fitted with radar equipment. Only a tiny fraction of the fleet carries this system. When it is installed, our colleague notes that it is a Gatso Millia unit. This device can record the speed of vehicles that the car meets or overtakes while it is moving, in both directions of travel.

How the Gatso Millia mobile speed camera system operates

In the same way, the system automatically photographs offences and sends the information to a processing centre. The driver therefore does not make any decision about whether an offence has occurred; they simply drive.

Dexter and private radar cars: discreet infrared enforcement

As a reminder, last year we discussed the French state initiative called Dexter. It is a new generation of radar cars that operate discreetly on mainland French roads. Run by private companies, these vehicles use infrared radars that can trigger without producing any visible signal. As a result, they are almost impossible for drivers to spot.

Over the last five years, their deployment has expanded to nearly every region, with the exception of Île-de-France and Corsica. Each car brings in close to 19400 a0€ in annual revenue, and there are around 300 of them at the start of 2026. Dexter has therefore become both a deterrent and a lucrative tool for the state. More information on this subject can be found in our previous article here.