Overview
- Spain now requires DGT‑compatible V16 warning lights for Spain‑registered vehicles, which transmit GPS data to the traffic authority and display breakdown locations on a public map.
- The Guardia Civil has confirmed multiple cases in the Canary Islands where fake tow operators used the location data to impersonate helpers and steal vehicles.
- The Guardia Civil and police association AUGC are calling on the DGT to review the system and restrict real‑time visibility of private vehicle locations.
- An analysis by Spanish IT expert Luis Miranda Acebedo found some devices transmit coordinates, IDs, and network details without encryption and accept any firmware, raising risks of interception and spoofing.
- Foreign‑registered cars are exempt and the telemetry works only in Spain, while police advise drivers to confirm any dispatched assistance with their insurer and note fines of up to about €200 for non‑compliance.