| When occupants are trapped in a vehicle as the result of a severe accident, it's essential that rescue workers get them out quickly. But that's not as easy as it once was. Modern cars are littered with pyrotechnics for air bags, seat-belt tensioners, and structural reinforcements to deal with different impact types. That task becomes even more difficult with hybrids and electric vehicles, which come with additional batteries and high-voltage lines that can be deadly for rescue workers if improperly dealt with. Mercedes-Benz, however, has a solution. Beginning this year, all of the brand's cars will come with a scannable QR code, which is placed both on the inside of the fuel door and on the B-pillar of the opposing side of the vehicle. Rescue workers would need to have only a smartphone or a tablet computer at the ready, and upon scanning the code, they will be instantly directed to a website that provides a rescue map for that particular model. Mercedes has waived the right to patent registration, and other carmakers are at liberty to follow the brand's example. Of course, a similar, non-digitized system like this already exists in the form of rescue cards—tangible extraction maps generally placed behind the driver's sunshade. However, these cards are easily misplaced or removed from their designated location. It's at this point that rescue workers must guess or place a call to authorities for detailed extraction information, and valuable time is lost.
The scannable QR codes are welcome news not only for potential accident victims, but the plan also will boost Mercedes' image as a safety-oriented brand. The German automaker's image in this regard took a slight hit in Europe recently after the Citan commercial van got only average ratings in Euro-NCAP crash testing.  from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com | |||
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