Drivers activated V16 beacons 62,227 times in October, averaging 2,007 alerts a day. That was 3.5% below September’s 64,488, while the daily average fell by 6.6%, according to an analysis by manufacturer Netun Solutions based on figures published by the DGT.
Use varied sharply by day. Fridays averaged 2,425 activations, against 1,477 on Sundays. Friday 2 October was the busiest date, with 2,535 alerts; Sunday 18 October had the lowest daily count, at 1,400.
Andalucía recorded the most activations among the autonomous communities, with 11,953, or 19.2% of the national total. Cataluña followed with 8,171. Comunidad de Madrid logged 7,347. Together, the three communities accounted for 44.1% of recorded incidents. Comunitat Valenciana logged 6,734 and Galicia 4,653.
Regional trends were mixed. Madrid’s activations rose 16% compared with August, although its daily average was 4% lower than in September. Cataluña’s monthly total increased by 2.6% from the previous month. Canarias recorded 3,075 incidents, and its daily average was up 3.3% from September.
The connected V16 became compulsory on 1 January 2026, replacing the transitional arrangement that allowed non-connected beacons. The DGT describes the V16 as a luminous pre-signalling device that warns approaching traffic and transmits a vehicle’s location through Spain’s national traffic-information system. Drivers can activate it without leaving the vehicle to place warning triangles, reducing their exposure to passing traffic after a breakdown or crash. Before the requirement took effect, the DGT reported that the first three approved geolocated V16 models had gone on sale, with more expected to follow. Only approved models that meet the technical and connectivity requirements comply with the connected-device regime. Failure to comply carries an €80 fine, the same penalty that applied to drivers who failed to place triangles when they were compulsory. The V16 is part of a wider discussion about vehicle safety rules and design, explored in a report on car design.
