Motorists travelling on the E411 motorway in the Province de Luxembourg may have recently noticed an unusual Belgian police vehicle stationed in a roadworks area.

The speed limit on Belgian motorways is 120 kilometres per hour, and regular travellers to the Belgian coast know it is advisable to respect it, as authorities in Luxembourg's neighbouring country are known for their diligent enforcement, and the locations of fixed speed cameras are not always immediately apparent.

A video filmed by a Brussels influencer is now circulating on social media, showing a special vehicle parked on the hard shoulder near the "Chiny Léglise" exit on the E411 towards Brussels.

At first glance, drivers instinctively ease off the accelerator, assuming it to be a speed camera. However, a closer look reveals that the vehicle is not a real police car.

In fact, it is a cardboard replica – a rear-end depiction of an older VW Sharan, a model no longer in active use by the Belgian police.

Despite its age, the decoy appears to serve its purpose: motorists slow down or at least check their speedometers to ensure they are within the legal limit. The "vehicle" has the added advantage of being deployable around the clock, requiring no personnel and no rest breaks.

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

Den opgestallte Policeauto aus Kartrong erfëllt säin Déngscht © Domingos Oliveira

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According to the influencer, a real speed check was reportedly in operation further down the motorway in the Province de Luxembourg.

The cardboard car, however, may have triggered two very different reactions among drivers: some may have taken it as a warning and kept their speed below 120, while others – having just fallen for the decoy – might have felt emboldened to accelerate once more.

The concept of cardboard police vehicles is not new in Belgium. In 2003, the Arlon police had a "fleet" of 11 such replicas produced for use as traffic-calming measures along the roads.

Meanwhile, a new wave of speed cameras has been announced for Wallonia, with installations set to begin in September and 150 new systems planned by 2029. Whether additional cardboard police cars will also be produced has not been disclosed.