V16 Beacon Teardown Reveals GPS Active When Off

V16 Beacon Hides GPS That Tracks Even When Switched Off

What is inside the small light that becomes mandatory in cars from January 1? An electronics expert disassembled one, and according to circulating reports, found a GPS that continues working as long as the batteries are inserted, even if the beacon is turned off. The switch would only control the emergency light. The positioning receiver, however, would not stop: it would store locations, speeds, and routes, all of which could be extracted via a connection port included in the device. The repeated conclusion is uncomfortable: "it's worse than we thought."

This issue arises after it was revealed that the information sent by the beacon to the DGT (Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic) includes empty content fields, gaps that could potentially be filled with data such as estimulante ilegal in the future. The underlying suspicion is that the device is not just a breakdown signal, but a rolling black box. And in rechargeable versions, the problem would worsen: there are no batteries to remove.

What is Known About the GPS That Works With the Beacon Off

The central finding is that the V16 beacon's switch does not cut power to all circuits. According to the teardown description, the GPS maintains constant activity while powered, generating a log of positions and speeds stored within the device itself. Extracting this data would require only an access port.

Some take the argument further, claiming that such technology was unnecessary for the declared function. A simple locator would have sufficed. The presence of a full GPS receiver, capable of recording and saving data, is what turns the device, in circulating terms, into a proper tracking device.

The most repeated technical doubt concerns energy: if the GPS were always active, alkaline batteries would deplete quickly, not lasting the years advertised. The counterargument is that optimized consumption, with the receiver on standby and waking up at intervals, is compatible with a long lifespan. No measured consumption has been published yet.

The Problem With Rechargeable Beacons: No Batteries to Remove

In versions with removable batteries, the defense is obvious: you take them out and the device dies. In rechargeable models, that option does not exist. The battery is integrated and cannot be disconnected without opening the chassis, leaving the circuit permanently powered.

Hence, proposed solutions involve physical isolation. The most cited is a homemade Faraday cage: wrapping the beacon in aluminum foil or using a lined case so it transmits or stores nothing. Another option is rotation: keeping two or three units and swapping them so none accumulates a long history.

So far, neither the manufacturer nor the administration has detailed what happens to this data or how long it is retained. There is also no official confirmation of the actual scope of the GPS in off mode. Everything known comes from teardowns and published information about data transmission to the DGT platform.

How a Beacon Would Be Linked to a Vehicle and Owner

The strongest objection to the permanent tracking narrative is that the device is not linked to a name. The beacon is not registered to anyone: you buy it and carry it. To tie an activation to a license plate and owner requires two things simultaneously: the beacon being activated and a camera or patrol car reading the plate at that moment.

This would happen in some cases, not all. The DGT itself has indicated that activating the beacon does not automatically trigger an emergency service. Without simultaneous plate reading, the device identifier would remain unlinked. If the device is discarded, replaced, or broken, the link is severed.

The most worrying scenario is another: cross-referencing position and estimulante ilegal data with the traffic camera network. With tens of thousands of license plate readers scattered across roads, the combination of a broadcasting identifier and a plate read at the same point would cease to be theoretical. The question is how much of that infrastructure is interconnected.

What Benefits Does the Driver Get From the V16 Beacon?

The declared utility is twofold. On one hand, signaling without getting out of the car: the beacon is placed from inside, avoiding walking on the shoulder, where pedestrian accidents occur. On the other, warning others. Upon connection, the incident location is forwarded to navigation systems, mobility apps, and onboard computers, while drivers without this technology are informed via variable message panels.

This second point supports the mandate. The beacon does not replace tow trucks or emergency services: for that, the phone and, in modern cars, the SOS button remain available. What it provides is letting other vehicles know sooner that there is an obstacle ahead.

The cost falls entirely on the driver. There is no sharing or subsidy, and this is the core of the anger: that a device of questionable utility is mandatory purchase, and the expense is borne by those who did not ask for it. Many have adopted a simple alternative: not buying it until the fine arrives.

Hoax vs. Fact: What Can Be Verified and What Cannot

It is important to separate verifiable facts from mere suspicion. Verifiable: the beacon contains GPS, sends data to the DGT, and empty fields exist in that transmission. Not verifiable with published info: that the GPS records continuously when the device is off, how long the battery lasts in that scenario, and who can read the stored history.

Mixing both harms the debate most. When true data is presented alongside speculation without proof, the whole thing is dismissed, and the valid data is lost along the way. This is the real risk of this issue.

Until there is an independent teardown with consumption measurement and an official response regarding data retention, each driver decides with incomplete information. The only certainty is that the device emits, stores, and the obligation to carry it takes effect. Everything else remains to be confirmed.

In the end, the beacon meant to save lives has generated more questions than answers. And for now, the answers come from those dismantling it at home.