wants to connect all traffic as they already do in China

The connected V16 beacon becomes mandatory on January 1, but the DGT already suggests that this device would only be the first piece of a much more ambitious project. The director of the organization, Pere Navarro, advanced in an interview in Public Mirror that will soon arrive “the connected cones” and other smart signage elements.

And that makes perfect sense, since in the end the objective is nothing more than minimizing the risk of accidents through an interconnected traffic network. Something similar to what is already happening in other countries such as China, Singapore, Japan or South Korea, among others.

A fully connected traffic network. If we insist on the example of China, applications like Amap, its equivalent to Google Maps, allow drivers to know how many seconds are left before a traffic light turns green. There they have all their road infrastructure connected. Traffic lights, traffic cameras and the vehicles themselves are part of a digital ecosystem that intends to improve traffic and reduce accidents.

Europe, and specifically Spain with the DGT at the helm, seems to look towards this model as a long-term reference.

The DGT 3.0 platform as the brain of the system. Behind the connected V16 beacon is DGT 3.0the digital platform that acts as the nerve center of this entire smart network. When a driver activates his beacon after a breakdown or accident, the device sends its position through IoT networks in approximately 100 seconds. This information reaches DGT 3.0 and, from there, is automatically distributed to roadside information panels, navigation applications and other connected vehicles.

Pere Navarro insist in that the system does not collect personal data: “When you buy the beacon, you are not asked for any information. We don’t even know the vehicle’s license plate.” “The DGT does not want to know where you are at all times, the beacons have not been created for that,” as stated on Antena 3.

Smart cones, next step. Navarro confirmed that connected cones will arrive after V16, designed to inform about workers on the road, sports events, demonstrations or special transportation. These cones will work with the same logic: when activated, they will send their location to DGT 3.0 so that the rest of the drivers receive warnings before reaching the conflict point.

The objective is to gain reaction time and avoid risky situations. The idea is that these cones can also help better manage traffic during events that require road closures, allowing vehicles to be diverted along alternative routes more efficiently.

The V-27 signal, warning inside the car. Another element that is part of this connected network is the V-27 signala triangle with an exclamation mark and three stripes symbolizing connectivity. This signal appears directly on the instrument panel of compatible vehicles when DGT 3.0 detects a nearby incident, either due to the activation of a V16 beacon or for any other reason that the agency considers dangerous.

Of course, it only works on connected cars whose manufacturers or service providers are registered with the National Access Point for Traffic and Mobility Information. On secondary roads, where there are no illuminated panels, this system can make a difference by providing early warning of dangers that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Towards the autonomous car. If the DGT knows at all times where the broken down vehicles, construction cones, smart traffic lights and surveillance cameras are, it will be much easier to have an effective accident prevention system. For the DGT, connectivity is a solution to eliminate unnecessary risks, such as get out of the car to signal an emergency. Whether the systems are truly effective remains to be seen.

But in addition to that, all this information can lay the foundations for the arrival of the autonomous car. And these cars need precisely that: detailed, real-time information about everything that happens on the road.

Flexibility. Pere Navarro made it clear that there will be no massive sanctions campaigns during 2026 with the whole V-16 beacon thing. “The objective is not to fine, the objective is an improvement in road safety,” he stated in the interview. The director of the organization assured that the agents will apply flexible criteria while drivers adapt to the new system, prioritizing information over immediate sanctions.

Cover image | DGT

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