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Chaos four days before the change: DGT withdraws approval from V-16 beacons and leaves drivers confused
The definitive introduction of the connected V-16 beacon promised to end the use of triangles and improve road safety. However, the device’s mandatory launch has arrived amid confusion. Just four days before the stated deadline, the Directorate-General for Traffic withdrew approval from four models that had been on sale for months, causing upheaval in the sector and among thousands of forward-planning drivers.
The move was as sudden as it was poorly explained. Users who had bought their beacon “in compliance with the rules” found themselves, overnight, with a product removed from the official list. Social networks and consumer associations were quick to point out the legal uncertainty of a decision taken against the clock.
In response to the uproar, the DGT partially corrected itself: those who already have one of the withdrawn models may continue using it without penalty until its useful life expires, normally linked to the 12 years of connectivity included in the price. There will be no fines, but there will be a paralysed market and many questions about the technical criteria applied.
The episode has brought a Spanish peculiarity to the fore. No other European country requires by law a geolocated beacon with automatic connection to a state platform. The aim — to prevent the driver from getting out of the car and reduce being run over — remains intact, but the handling of the change has clouded the message.
While some manufacturers see their sales held back, experts recommend keeping the receipt and considering returns if possible. What was meant to be a firm step towards a safer road has ended up, for now, becoming an administrative obstacle course.