The sound of an engine breathing hard through a performance exhaust system is one of the things we’ll miss most when ICE bans finally take effect round the world.

But as my disgruntled neighbour frequently reminded me when I started up my old Mercedes-AMG E63 in the morning, not everyone is quite so keen. And for some inhabitants of cities in France, the switch to near-silent EVs can’t come soon enough.

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So much so that Paris installed noise detecting equipment in 2019 to monitor levels of unwanted sound, and though it didn’t lead to the prosecution of individual offenders, it was only a matter of time before that changed.

Now the scheme is spreading to other parts of France, including Nice, Bron and Lyon. The systems still have to prove their accuracy and wait for legal clearance this autumn before final testing can begin. But by the end of 2022 or early 2023 they’ll be handing out tickets left, right and center.

The alien-looking devices consist of a 360-degree camera an acoustic antennae featuring four microphones that enables the device not only to measure the sounds, but pinpoint the direction it’s coming from.

If your vehicle drives past one of the camera spots and the system judges the noise level too high it can take a photograph of your registration plate and automatically issue you a ticket.

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The biggest offenders are older motorcycles, and newer ones whose muted standard pipes can be quickly and cheaply upgraded to performance systems. But cars could easily fall foul of the spy equipment, and we’re not just talking about modified cars.

Though drive-by noise regulations have made even high performance cars quieter, carmakers are cleverly able to meet them using moveable exhaust valves that keep the dB down during tests.

But if you drive past one of these French sensors in a supercar in a low gear with your adaptive exhaust in its loudest setting and your foot buried in the carpet, you can probably expect an unwelcome letter from the cops.