The V-16 emergency lights will also have to include a geolocation system

A few months ago, news emerged that emergency warning triangles were going to be replaced by V-16 emergency lights. This device will be usable from 1 July and may be used in place of warning triangles. The V-16 emergency light can be placed on the roof of the vehicle, and its lighting system can be seen from a considerable distance, thus alerting other drivers on the road.

What was not commented on at the time, and has surprised drivers, is that this system is not only luminous. To improve the emergency warning system, all these devices must incorporate a geolocation system that efficiently signals the location of the vehicle.

Connected with DGT 3.0

This system works in such a way that as soon as it is activated it connects with DGT 3.0, which transmits the information to connected vehicles. The information provided by the geolocation system of the V-16 emergency system is also transmitted to the variable-message electronic signs on the road. In this way, all vehicles travelling along that road receive the information, one way or another, that there is a stopped vehicle on the carriageway.

The problem arises because this system, which will be mandatory from 1 January 2026, will considerably increase the price of this emergency warning system. The price of V-16 lights is currently between 15 and 30 euros, depending on the brand, but these devices will only be valid until that date. From then on, they will have to be replaced by an emergency system that includes geolocation.

The specifications for the new V-16 emergency lights have not yet been published, so manufacturers do not know how this will affect the final prices of the device. What has been confirmed is that the geolocation signal is completely anonymous and does not share vehicle data. In addition, it will only be activated when the emergency light is switched on, so it will not be transmitting continuously nor locating the vehicle if the V-16 light is not used.

The details of this new way of signalling breakdowns will be known soon, which, we remind you, will not be mandatory until 2026. Until then, the warning triangle system can still be used, although the DGT recommends using the emergency beacon, as it offers greater safety by not requiring the driver to leave the vehicle’s interior to place it.