Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia are covered by a new rule that stops Spain’s traffic authority, the DGT, from using V16 emergency beacon data to track individual drivers. The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers through a Royal Decree and came into force on 1 January 2026.
The V16 beacon is now mandatory for drivers in Spain, including Catalonia, and replaces traditional emergency triangles. Its introduction prompted concern about whether location data sent to the DGT 3.0 platform could be used for surveillance, even though the DGT has said the device does not record speed, identify number plates, track drivers or transmit personal data.
The new legal framework for Intelligent Transport Systems makes that limit explicit. It says geolocation from the V16 beacon cannot be used for sanctioning, surveillance or driver control, and that personal data may only be processed when strictly necessary for smart mobility services and in line with European and national data protection rules.
The decree is also part of a wider push to digitalise traffic management in Spain. It aims to improve connectivity between vehicles, infrastructure and services, and requires the telecommunication of restrictions, roadworks, events and incidents that affect mobility.
For drivers in Catalonia, the practical point is clear, the emergency light remains compulsory, but the government has now closed the door on using its signal to monitor where an individual driver is. For more Catalonia-wide coverage, see our news page.