Mercedes-Benz QR codes will assist accident recovery
28 May 2013
QR codes placed on Mercedes-Benz cars, which can be read by smartphones and tablets, will in future display a rescue map for every vehicle type.
The displayed information will contain all the information necessary to rescue any injured occupants speedily, says the car manufacturer.
The development makes use of the rescue sheets developed by ADAC, the German Automobile Association, and which are already provided by all car makers for every one of their vehicle models.
Among other things, the sheets show firefighters, police and paramedics the design details they need to know in order to use cutting tools more effectively. The rescue sheet, specific for each vehicle type, also details the location of the airbags, the battery, the fuel tanks, electric cables, high-pressure cylinders and other components that may pose a hazard during rescue operations. In the case of hybrid models, the location of the additional batteries and high-voltage cables is also shown.
Mercedes-Benz says this information can save lives by saving time in emergency situations.
The development overcomes issues such as the rescue sheet not being available to emergency teams due to driver neglect or because rescuers are unable to locate it in the car.
The Mercedes-Benz QR codes identify the vehicle, make fundamental information about the vehicle visible immediately and automatically direct to the website with the specific rescue sheet – generally a matter of only a few seconds.
Codes will be placed on the fuel tank flap and on the B-pillar on the opposite vehicle side, as both these parts are seldom badly damaged at the same time in an accident, and are easily accessible from the outside.