France authorizes autonomous delivery robots on roadways

France has established a new regulatory framework allowing autonomous delivery robots to operate on roadways rather than being restricted to sidewalks. An official decree from the Ministry of Transport classifies these electric vehicles under category L, a group that includes certain motorized tricycles and quadricycles.

These vehicles can reach dimensions of 4 meters in length, 2 meters in width, and 2.5 meters in height, with a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg. While they operate autonomously using cameras, LiDAR, and radar to navigate, human supervision from a distance remains mandatory to manage complex situations.

Local authorities will retain the power to define authorized routes and sectors for deployment. This national move by France precedes broader discussions currently taking place within the European Union and the United Nations. The technology aims to automate repetitive, short-distance trips between logistics hubs, businesses, and recipients.