The Swiss government has announced that revving engines unnecessarily or emitting exhaust noise will cost more in the future.
In a 2023 pilot in Geneva, the Federal Office for the Environment installed noise-detection radars recording up to 200 vehicles per day, some exceeding 117 dB versus the 82 dB limit. Over 70% of noisy vehicles were motorcycles.
FOEN found road noise stresses people and harms health, with one in seven Swiss exposed to harmful noise. The Federal Council banned avoidable exhaust noise and increased fines for unnecessary engine revving from 60 to 80 francs.
Despite the pilot’s success, noise radars won’t be routinely installed yet due to legal and technical obstacles. The Council will examine feasibility before creating legal bases for radar use.
