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Spain’s V-16 Beacon Rollout Sees About 3,000 Daily Activations as Enforcement Remains Lenient

Consumer concerns rise following the administrative withdrawal of certification for four models.

Overview

  • Ten days into the mandate that began January 1, authorities report no fines for not carrying or using the V-16 device, with police prioritizing education over penalties for now.
  • The DGT cites roughly 3,000 beacon activations per day, including 2,946 recorded on January 2, reflecting rapid uptake in incident signaling on Spanish roads.
  • The DGT rescinded homologation for four specific models—Don Feliz V16IoT, The Boutique For Your Car V16IoT, Ikrea V16IoT, and Call SOS—citing administrative rather than technical reasons.
  • Facua filed complaints against online platforms such as Amazon, AliExpress and Leroy Merlin over listings that failed to disclose a lack of required DGT connectivity, rendering those devices invalid under the new rules.
  • An independent, public-data-based interactive map shows active and recent V-16 alerts nationwide with details like time, road and direction, though it is not an official DGT service.