The connected V16 will be the only roadside incident warning device valid from January 1, 2026. If we wait until December, we'll repeat the mistakes of the triangles and DTT: shortages, haste, and, worse still, non-compliant products.
By Francesc Minoves, CEO of Netun Solutions
Madrid, October 15, 2025
A challenge that almost never faces a country
Spain is facing a unique technological transition: equipping more than 30 million vehicles with a connected V16 signal within a timeframe that, in terms of purchasing power, is shrinking every day. We're not just talking about manufacturing; we're talking about coordinating manufacturers, retailers, e-commerce platforms, logistics operators, and millions of consumers with late-bird purchasing habits. In practice, the actual window for the bulk of acquisitions is concentrated in less than three months.
What we learned from triangles (and DTT)
When emergency triangles were introduced in 1999, there were shortages, unapproved products circulated, and counterfeits were documented. Something similar happened with DTT: a peak demand of millions of tuners in just a few weeks strained the supply chain. The pattern is clear: if millions of purchases pile up at the end, not even the best logistics system can avoid friction.
The real bottleneck: time, not the factory
By 2025, the industry has more capacity and data than ever before. The risk no longer lies so much in the production line as in the concentration of demand in December. When the consumer postpones, upstream (manufacturing) and downstream (distribution) synchronize simultaneously, and the system loses elasticity. The result: occasional breakdowns, unwanted price increases, and room for non-conforming product.
A minimum national plan to arrive well in January
- Stagger demand: government campaigns that encourage early purchasing in October-November.
- Segment by groups: fleets, rentals, and professionals with specific windows and supply agreements.
- Quality control: strengthening trade and customs surveillance to prevent the entry of unapproved products.
- Logistics capillarity: preposition inventory by province and diversify nodes (retail, e-commerce, workshops).
- Consumer education: simple and coordinated messages about mandatory requirements and dates.
What we are doing from Netun (without triumphalism)
As inventors of the connected V16, we take this as an industrial responsibility: we've expanded capacity to nearly 1 million units per month, strengthened unit traceability and the 3PL network, and secured a fulfillment program on Amazon to disperse inventory and reduce last-mile friction. We've also incorporated senior operations profiles with international experience in complex supply chains and regulated distribution. It's not about selling more; it's about ensuring no one is left without access when required.
Let's not leave for December what we must resolve in October.
My request is pragmatic: that fleets, companies, and drivers anticipate their purchases. If we spread out demand, the country will arrive at the date normally, without tension and without room for dangerous shortcuts. Road safety isn't a trending topic: it's planning, logistics, and shared responsibility.
Francesc Minoves is CEO of Netun Solutions. Netun is the Spanish company that invented the connected V16 and is a benchmark in applied road safety.
