France approves autonomous delivery robots for public roads

The French Ministry of Transport issued a decree, published in the Journal Officiel, that amends a 2016 order to allow the homologation of autonomous delivery robots as Category L vehicles – the same class that includes mopeds, tricycles and quadricycles. The robots are compact electric units up to 4 m long, 2 m wide and 2.5 m high, capable of carrying up to 1 000 kg. They will be equipped with cameras, radars, lidars and onboard software, sometimes using artificial intelligence, and will be supervised remotely to ensure safety.

The ministry says the vehicles, designed for short‑distance trips, will help develop cleaner, quieter and more efficient "last‑mile" urban logistics. With this framework France joins a small group of countries that have a regulatory regime for delivery robots of this size.