Spain’s DGT moves forward again: the new V27 is coming – and it’s not the same as V16

By now, most drivers in Spain are aware of the news: the emergency triangular is going away. It will be officially removed from Spanish roads on January 1, 2026. The familiar V16 flashing amber beacon will replace it.

But while attention has been fixed on that small orange light, something else has been quietly moving into place – something you won’t buy, install or even physically see.

The V27 beacon could change the way drivers perceive dangers on the road more than it does the beacon itself.

The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) has spent years talking about connected vehicles and smarter roads. V27 makes this future a reality. This future is now law and will arrive in 2026, along with the V16.

You don’t put warning signs on the road

V27 can be mistaken for any other gadget. It’s not.

V27, unlike the V16 which you activate physically when you have an accident or break down, has no physical form. No light. No triangle. No device in your boot.

Instead, it operates digitally. The DGT traffic platform DGT 3.0 receives the exact location of the vehicle when a driver activates the V16 beacon. This information is instantly processed. The system then sends a warning — the V27 signal — to other connected vehicles approaching the area.

The driver doesn’t notice a flashing signal on the road. They are notified by a warning message on their infotainment or dashboard screen before they see anything.

The DGT calls V27 a “virtual triangle”. Even though most drivers may not have heard of the Royal Decree 159/2021 that has been in place for years, it is the legal basis.

Why Spain believes that visibility alone is not enough

The new V16 beam has limitations. The road safety experts are clear on this. The road safety experts have been clear about this.

V27 can help.

As it does not rely on vision, it can work in all conditions, including light, weather, and road layout. The driver will be alerted to a stopped car, accident, or obstacle in advance. This gives them the time they need to change lanes, slow down and remain vigilant.

This early warning is what the DGT hopes will cut down on secondary crashes – the chain-reaction accidents that often happen after an initial breakdown or collision.

V27 is a practical solution that turns each V16 beacon activated into a datapoint to help protect drivers on the road.

Not mandatory – and that matters

It is important to note one thing, particularly for expats or residents who have older cars.

From 2026, the V16 beacon is mandatory. The V16 beacon is mandatory. Emergency triangles are illegal.

V27 is optional, but not mandatory.

The law doesn’t punish drivers for not “having” it. Your car will determine whether you receive V27 warnings. Some vehicles with active data services and connected infotainment may be able to display the warnings. Some may never be.

Legally, this is fine.

It is important to note that the word “you” means “you”. DGT V27 is not a mandatory safety measure, but an optional one. The technology is already in the car and it’s connected to DGT systems. If your vehicle is not compatible, you will still need a V16.

Connected driving: a quiet step forward

V27’s appeal is not what it can do today, but rather what it will be able to do in the future.

Spain is moving slowly towards a road infrastructure where vehicles will no longer be isolated machines. They become part of an information system that is shared, and hazards, incidents, and risks are communicated digitally, in real-time.

V27 is one of the first visible – or rather invisible – signs of that shift.

For now, the system is limited to warnings sent by V16 beacons. It is part of a larger strategy which includes connected speed control, digital traffic management, and vehicle-to -vehicle communications mediated by public infrastructure.

The change will be subtle for most drivers. V27 will not “turn on” in a dramatic way. It will appear on the screens of newer cars and quietly do its job.

What drivers must do now

The headlines may suggest otherwise, but there is only one immediate step you need to take: buy a DGT V16 beacon before the year 2026.

The technology of your vehicle is the key to everything else.

V27 can be integrated into your driving experience if your vehicle supports connected alerts. You won’t even have to move a muscle. If not, you are still legally compliant and the physical beacon will protect you.

The real change is not practical but philosophical. Spain no longer relies solely on the drivers’ ability to see. It’s betting on what they can know – in advance, digitally and collectively.

While the amber warning light is the most visible, the one that makes the biggest impact on Spanish roads may not be the amber.