The General Directorate of Traffic has set January 1, 2026 as the date on which V16 Connected beacons will become the only pre-signalling device which will be obligatory for all vehicles in the event of an accident or breakdown on the road.
From the DGT they specify that this change, that thewill completely eliminate the use of emergency triangleswill serve to reduce the risk of accidents for drivers when placing the triangles and which are encrypted, according to the DGT, 25 people die per year. However, many dissenting voices exist regarding the measure to eliminate triangles altogether, such as that of the United Association of Civil Traffic Guardswho appealed to the DGT in one of his last tweets.
What criticisms does the AUGC have of the V16?
In X’s publication, the AUGC shows a video where a vehicle breaks down on the shoulder of a highway exit It has an almost invisible V16 beacon until the other car is a few meters away, so they notify the Ministry of the Interior and the DGT on the dangers of using emergency lighting exclusively.
Specifically, The AUGC tweet reads:: “The beacon alone (V16) without triangles is a danger, we advise drivers to abandon the vehicle if possible and move to safetythe vehicle is not, the beacon helps, but it is not the only solution“.
Reasons why the DGT makes Connected V16 mandatory
The General Directorate of Traffic argues that its implementation, scheduled for January 1, 2026, responds to the need to avoid the risk of being run over by walking between 50 and 100 meters along the road or shoulder to place emergency triangles. According to the DGT, every year, around 25 people are crushed and killed after getting out of their vehicles on the road.
For this reason, and based on its experience and studies (which are not published on its website), The DGT will require more than 25 million vehicles to be equipped with the V16 Connected beacon in an easily accessible place in the passenger compartment, such as the glove box. If an approved device is not available, the Civil Guard can impose a fine of up to 80 euros.
How can we check that the V16 beacon we are purchasing is actually approved?
Buying the wrong V16 tag is easier than it seems. According to Eduardo Valero, engineer in the Mobility Management field of the DGTin a YouTube video, “not all tags advertised as connected are approved.”
Many users are unaware that any device that is not on the DGT’s list of “Certified Brands and Models” does not have the necessary certification and, therefore, will not be valid from January 1, 2026.
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