V16 Emergency Light

Connected V16 emergency light: the beacon your car is required to carry

The V16 car light is the warning light that signals your vehicle when you are stranded on the road. Since 1 January 2026, the mandatory V16 light in its connected and geolocated version is the only legal hazard warning device in Spain, and it completely replaces the warning triangles. At FactorLED you will find V16 car beacons designed to meet that requirement.

Why the V16 replaces the triangle

Setting out the triangles meant getting out of the car and walking along the hard shoulder, or along the road itself, up to 50 meters behind the vehicle, at the very spot and the very moment of greatest risk. The V16 car emergency light removes that walk: it is switched on in seconds and placed at the highest point of the vehicle, ideally the roof, without exposing yourself to traffic. That is the real reason behind the change in the rules.

What connected and geolocated actually means

A connected V16 car light does more than light up. When you switch it on it automatically communicates with the DGT 3.0 platform and transmits its location in real time, so the warning reaches traffic systems and other drivers approaching the spot, even before they can see you. That is the difference between a geolocated V16 car light and an older V16 beacon with no connectivity: the latter is no longer valid.

Requirements for an approved V16 light

For a type-approved V16 light to be valid, looking like a beacon is not enough. Among other things, it has to meet these requirements:

• Emit a flashing light visible through 360º around the vehicle.
• A minimum run time of 30 minutes of continuous operation.
• A battery with a minimum service life of 18 months, so it still works when you need it.
• Connectivity with the DGT 3.0 platform and transmission of its position.
• Being certified by an authorised body, such as IDIADA or LCOE.

The DGT publishes the list of certified brands and models. Before buying any DGT V16 emergency light, check that the specific model appears on that list with its certificate number: it is the only way to be sure the device complies.

How it is used

The V16 beacon light lives in the glovebox, within reach from the driver's seat. If you are stranded, you switch it on without leaving the vehicle and place it on the roof, where its magnetic base holds it to the bodywork. The light is visible from every direction and the warning is sent on its own. Once the problem is sorted, you switch it off and it goes back in the glovebox.

Carry it before you need it: a connected V16 costs little, takes up no space and is the only thing the law accepts today. Find yours at FactorLED and drive with peace of mind.

Frequently asked questions about the V16 emergency light

Since when is the connected V16 mandatory?

Since 1 January 2026. From that date, the connected V16 is the only legal hazard warning device in Spain.

Can I still use the triangles?

Not as a hazard warning device. Triangles stopped being valid for that purpose in January 2026, replaced by the connected V16 light.

Will any V16 beacon I already had in the car do?

Only if it is connected and certified. Older V16 units with no connectivity or geolocation do not meet the current requirement, even if they work perfectly well as a light.

How do I check that a model is approved?

By consulting the official DGT list of certified brands and models. Every valid model is shown with its certificate number issued by an authorised laboratory.

Where exactly do you place it?

At the highest point of the vehicle, usually the roof, so the light is seen through 360º. The big advantage is that you can do it without stepping onto the road.