The AUGC (Automobile Industry Commission) is outspoken against the mandatory V-16: "Very serious accidents will occur, and then it will be too late."

January 1, 2026, is the date established by the General Directorate of Traffic for the regulations requiring vehicles to carry the V-16 emergency light to come into force. This beacon is intended to replace the dangerous triangles used to signal a vehicle in the event of a breakdown or accident on a road.

However, this DGT imposition has received critical voices, such as the Unified Association of Civil Guards, which has spoken out on social media about the dangers of only signaling vehicles that have broken down due to the V-16.

Dangers of the V-16 according to the AUGC

In a tweet from 2024, the Unified Association of Civil Guards indicates that according to "DGT studies, many drivers have died after being hit by vehicles due to displaying the triangle, but they don't know how many accidents have been avoided by using it." Furthermore, in the same tweet, they specify that "that little light is useless if the vehicle is on a change in elevation or on a sharp curve ."

And finally, in a recent response from the AUGC Traffic to a tweet from the Civil Guard , they use a photo of the state of a patrol car to illustrate the following: "If people don't see priority vehicles with many more signal lights, you expect them to see a small yellow priority vehicle that often won't be seen until they are on top of it."

Features of the V-16 emergency light

This type of warning light is characterized by its orange color and flashing . It is used in the same circumstances as emergency triangles, but with the advantage that it can be placed without having to leave the vehicle.

In addition, if the V16 emergency light is properly approved, it will include an integrated SIM card that sends the location of the broken-down vehicle to the DGT 3.0 network , speeding up the arrival of assistance services. Its flashing light can be seen from over a kilometer away and offers 360-degree visual coverage.

Price of V-16 light

Nowadays, it is available on various websites, but before purchasing it, it is important to ensure that it has been approved by the General Directorate of Traffic , since without this certification it will not be valid for use in the vehicle.

As for price, V-16 lights vary depending on the manufacturer, though they generally range around €50. However, more and more sites like Amazon and hypermarkets like Carrefour are offering deals on these lights for less than €40.