Do you always carry triangles in the trunk? In 2026, they will cease to serve. From January 1the only legal way to report a breakdown on the road will be to use a Connected V-16 beacon. And ALDI has just entered the race with a model approved and linked to the DGT.
THE sells in all its supermarkets in Spain starting December 5 and arrives with the promise of being “ready to use and at no cost.”
What exactly is the V-16 beacon and why will you need it?
The V-16 is that yellow light that comes on on the roof of the car when you’re stuck. Flashes 360 degreesyou see more than a kilometer and avoid having to go out to put on the triangles, one of the riskiest moments on the road.
From 2026, it will be mandatory and must also be connected: that is, when you turn it on, it will automatically send your location to the DGT 3.0 Platformwarning the rest of the drivers.
The ALDI tag
Here are the keys to the model sold by ALDI:
- Approved and connected with GNSS chip and integrated eSIM, guaranteed until 2038 without paying any fees or activating anything.
- Automatic notification to the DGT when it is started in the event of a breakdown or accident.
- Visible 360º and more than 1 km away, even in rainy or foggy weather.
- Magnetic base and wind and water resistance.
- Installs in seconds: roof, click, light on.
That is to say: it meets all the requirements required by the DGT for 2026: visibility, official certification and connectivity included for 12 years.
What the regulations say
The DGT specified that from January 1, 2026triangles will no longer be valid and only one tag can be used V-16 connected to report a breakdown on the road. This means that the device must be approved, have its code visible and have a location system and an eSIM to send the vehicle’s position to the DGT 3.0 platform as soon as it is activated. Additionally, connectivity must be included during at least 12 years old without additional payments.
In summary: the connected V-16 will be the only legal element to warn of an incident and its mission is to improve safety, avoiding drivers having to get out of the car to place the triangles.
In summary: the connected V-16 will be the only legal element to report an incident, and its mission is to improve safety by preventing drivers from having to get out of the car to place the triangles.
Pricing and availability
ALDI Beacon V-16 It is now available in all supermarkets of the channel in Spain since December 5. Its price is 34.99 eurosa fixed amount that includes connectivity with the DGT until 2038, without additional fees or activations. With this launch, ALDI seeks to offer an affordable, ready-to-use option for those who want to get ahead of the regulations arriving in 2026.
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