QR Code Extrication Rescue Cards





For more on new vehicles, checkout our Vehicle Extrication from inside of the Auto Industry DVD.

Earlier this year the Google Glasses made the news about its’ use for firefighters on the scene of an extrication.  Many would say that the glasses are a ways out to being put into service.  However, an automaker came up with a way to get the require vehicle information to rescuers on scene quickly by just using a smartphone or tablet.  Mercedes-Benz is now the first ever automotive manufacturer to use stickers with a QR code as an additional safety measure.  These stickers provide access to the digital rescue cards for the vehicle model in question: small diagrams containing all of the key details regarding the model’s design and structure. The stickers are affixed in the fuel filler cap and on the B-pillar opposite in the passenger cars, that is to say in areas which seldom both suffer serious damage at the same time. In the event of an accident, the rescuers are able to find the QR code quickly and read it out by means of a smartphone or tablet.

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The QR Code safety card has already been fitted as standard in all new Mercedes-Benz cars since the end of 2013, with smart models to begin wearing them from January 2014. It can also be retro-fitted free of charge to any second hand Mercedes-Benz built from 1990 onwards.

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The Rescue cards shown below are downloadable by scanning the QR-code and are currently available in 7 languages and default to the language of a user’s mobile device.  If the rescuer’s language is not available, an English version is automatically loaded.  Here’s an interesting note, in late June 2014, the Mercedes-Benz promises to release the application for emergency services which will allow the rescue card to be displayed without access to the Internet.

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Once again, hats off to the folks at Mercedes-Benz!  The rescue QR-codes has not been patented by Mercedes-Benz hoping that other automakers will implement it.  Below is the complete set of Rescue Cards.

Mercedes-Benz Guidelines for Rescue Services Passenger Cars (2012)

What else does Mercedes-Benz do for rescuers?  How about Extrication Cut Points!

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