Baliza V16 – Connected Emergency Beacon for Vehicles

Baliza V16 is a full-cycle product development project focused on the design and industrialization of a connected emergency warning beacon, fully compliant with Spanish traffic regulations. The device replaces traditional warning triangles with a connected, autonomous and ultra-low-power IoT solution, designed to operate reliably in critical roadside situations.

This project reflects our expertise in developing custom GPS trackers, connected IoT devices and low-power electronics, from concept to certified mass production.

Regulatory context and market opportunity

The Spanish Government introduced a regulation requiring all vehicles to be equipped with a connected V16 emergency beacon. Once the regulation becomes fully effective, warning triangles will no longer be allowed, and only DGT-approved connected V16 devices may be used.

These devices automatically transmit the vehicle’s position to the national traffic platform operated by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), without requiring any user interaction or mobile phone.

Market potential

  • More than 30 million vehicles currently in circulation in Spain

  • Mandatory product for private vehicles, fleets, rental companies and insurers

  • Large-scale deployment with long-term replacement demand

This regulation-driven scenario creates one of the largest IoT hardware markets in Spain, combining regulatory compliance with mass-market industrialization.

Applicable regulations and certifications

The Baliza V16 project requires compliance with traffic, telecommunications and product certification standards, including:

DGT 3.0 approval

  • Mandatory connection to the DGT 3.0 platform

  • Automatic transmission of GNSS location data

  • No dependency on smartphones or external applications

Telecommunications compliance

  • RED Directive (2014/53/EU)

  • Radio performance, EMC and electrical safety testing

Product certification

  • CE marking

  • Environmental resistance (temperature, humidity, vibration)

  • Mechanical robustness and long-term reliability

Functional requirements

  • Immediate manual activation

  • 360° luminous visibility

  • Autonomous operation, even in degraded network conditions

  • Battery life measured in years, not months

Technologies used in the Baliza V16

Baliza V16 integrates multiple advanced technologies typically found in high-end tracking and IoT products:

IoT connectivity

  • NB-IoT / LTE-M

  • Direct cellular connectivity without user intervention

  • Embedded SIM with long-term connectivity plans

Positioning

  • Multi-constellation GNSS (GPS, Galileo, etc.)

  • Reliable positioning in real-world roadside conditions

Ultra-low-power electronics

  • Optimized hardware architecture for minimal energy consumption

  • Long standby life with instant activation capability

  • Power-aware firmware design

Electronics and optics

  • High-intensity LEDs for maximum visibility

  • 360° optical emission design

  • Thermal and electrical efficiency optimization

Embedded firmware

  • Advanced power-state management

  • Secure communication with backend platforms

  • High reliability under emergency conditions

Custom development: from concept to certified product

In the Baliza V16 project, Accent Systems delivered a complete end-to-end development, covering all critical phases required to launch a regulated IoT hardware product:

  • Custom electronic design, optimized for low power consumption and autonomous operation

  • Firmware development tailored for NB-IoT communication and energy efficiency

  • GNSS and cellular integration, ensuring reliable positioning and data transmission

  • Industrial design, focused on:

    • Ergonomics and ease of use in emergency situations

    • Mechanical robustness and environmental sealing

    • Assembly optimization for mass production

  • Optical engineering and light design, a key aspect to meet regulatory visibility requirements:

    • Selection of high-intensity LED components

    • Design of optical diffusers and light guides

    • Optimization of 360° luminous distribution while minimizing power consumption

  • Prototyping phase, including multiple iterations:

    • Electronic prototypes to validate power consumption, communications and positioning

    • Mechanical and optical prototypes to validate form factor, assembly and light performance

    • Real-world testing to fine-tune behavior under operational conditions

  • Industrialization and Design for Manufacturing / Assembly (DFM/DFA)

  • Support during certification and homologation processes, assisting throughout testing and approval

  • Preparation for mass production, including end-of-line testing strategies and quality control

This structured approach significantly reduces time-to-market, minimizes regulatory risks and ensures a competitive unit cost at high production volumes.

Experts in custom trackers, GPS and low-power IoT devices

The Baliza V16 project demonstrates our capabilities in:

  • Custom GPS tracker development

  • NB-IoT and LTE-M connected devices

  • Ultra-low-power hardware and firmware

  • Regulated and certified electronic products

  • Scalable industrial design for mass production

If you are developing a custom tracker, connected GPS device or IoT product, we can support your project from early concept through certification and large-scale manufacturing.