Mercedes-Benz adds QR codes that help in the event of a crash
September 16 2014,
Mercedes-Benz vehicles are known for their ability to prevent crashes. The number of active safety features, either standard or optional, on Mercedes-Benz models is astounding, and many times, they alone can prevent an accident from ever happening.
However, in some cases, an accident is unavoidable. That is why the German manufacturer has turned to a widely-used technology in many industries, but not as much in the automotive industry, QR codes. Located inside the door on the B-pillar as well as on the fuel door, these QR codes provide important information to first response teams that arrive at the scene of an accident.
When responders first arrive at the scene of an accident, their first job is to get every passenger out of the cars involved in the crash. In many cases, especially if the accident is severe, firefighters will need to cut through the body of the car in order to extract the passengers. This is actually a rather dangerous situation as every car is different in regards to the location of the airbags, fuel tanks and electrical systems.
The location of the systems is important to know before trying to cut through the body in order to get to the passengers. In much the same way as a construction worker who is renovating a house must know where the wires are before cutting through a wall, a firefighter must make sure that they do not hit dangerous wires or airbag components before cutting through a door or a roof. The QR codes created by Mercedes-Benz are designed to provide this information.
Using an app, the first responder scans the QR code to get all relevant information on the location of the airbags, fuel tank, high-pressure cylinders, battery, and when dealing with a hybrid vehicle, the location of the various other batteries. They are then able to choose the safest areas to use their hydraulic cutter in order to free the passenger. Although first responders always verify the location of the dangerous components mentioned above, having a QR code easily accessible helps accelerate the procedure which in the end may help save a passenger’s life.
A Calgary firefighter summed up the benefits of the technology.
“If I already know where to disconnect the 12-volt battery, I don’t have to use precious time searching the vehicle for the battery to make it safe for me and my crew to work,” said extrication specialist Randy Schmitz.
The QR codes are available on every Mercedes-Benz and Smart vehicle, and they are not protected by a patent. That means any automaker can take the idea of the QR code and add it to their vehicles. We should therefore see more of this Mercedes-Benz-branded technology in the near future.
