These may be expensive if they have to have a "mobile phone" type connection and will the SIM need to be paid for monthly as well?

The cost to the driver may seem high, but it's probably offsetting the cost that the Govt. has to pay to sweep their remains off the side of the road.

These may be expensive if they have to have a "mobile phone" type connection and will the SIM need to be paid for monthly as well?

The cost to the driver may seem high, but it's probably offsetting the cost that the Govt. has to pay to sweep their remains off the side of the road.

Apparently not - a one-off cost of about £75 and no monthly fee.

Good news about no monthly fee seeing that it has to have a mobile connection.

£75 is a lot for a flashing light though!

As some of Spain is spa***ly populated, will there be enough coverage for it to work in remote areas?

*** = S P A R S L E Y

Edited by Marlin1 on 11/01/2025 at 19:20

"Since the start of 2023 the use of V-16 emergency warning beacons on vehicles in Spain has been approved by Spain’s traffic authority, the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT). Two types of beacons are now legal: analogue and 'connected.'

[The analogue device is just a flashing orange/amber light with no connectivity]

A 'connected' device means that other drivers are not only alerted to a problem by a flashing light, but the DGT is also alerted virtually.

The connected V-16 lights are already a legal replacement for hazard warning triangles and will be mandatory from 1 January 2026. Analogue warning lights, which have been on the market for several years, and triangles can only be used until 31 December 2025.

The device integrates an eSIM with NB-IoT (Narrow-Band Internet of Things) technology that provides connectivity. In the event of an accident or breakdown, when the beacon is activated, a notification is sent immediately, automatically and anonymously to the DGT traffic control centre indicating its exact location and this information is shared in real time through the DGT 3.0 Platform and the National Access Point to other road users"

www.surinenglish.com/spain/this-how-the-new-v16-em...l

Presumably hire cars will all be equipped with these lights.

So it shouldn't affect your normal holiday tourists, only those driving there!

What if your car already has an SOS button fitted? Still need one? Rather overkill isn't it?

Wonder how we ever survived before we had all this technology to baby us.

Also would the new V16 requirements apply to motorbikes? Scooters... bikes ...skate boards...tall shoes...make it stop someone.

If the SOS button is also activated by (e.g.) airbag deployment then it has value. I remember a distressing incident where a driver left the road without leaving obvious skid marks or vegetation damage. Police and the family traced his route and failed to find the car for I think three days. A beacon or SOS would have alerted police and others to the location and he probably wouldn't have lost his life.