Overview
- From January 1, the V-16 replaces warning triangles in Spain for cars, mixed vehicles, goods vehicles and buses, with motorcycles not required to carry it.
- The beacon emits a 360-degree yellow light for at least 30 minutes and, once activated, transmits the vehicle’s location to DGT 3.0 after a brief delay without continuous tracking or personal data.
- The DGT revoked homologation for four specific models days before rollout and has not specified technical reasons, halting their sale as certified devices but allowing existing users to keep them through their service life.
- Following a viral Bilbao crash video that compared brightness with hazard indicators, officials emphasized correct placement on the roof or at driver-window height and noted that real-world visibility varies with curves and weather.
- Failure to carry a compliant unit is an €80 minor offense during an initial education-first phase, and Spanish-registered vehicles can use the V-16 in other Vienna Convention countries, though keeping triangles abroad may be practical.