Do you know where your car's rescue sheet is? Do you even know what it is?
Don't worry, Mercedes has got you covered.
Germany's Daimler (DDAIF)is putting high-tech barcodes onto its Mercedes cars from September to help emergency responders rescue accident victims, meaning they no longer have to waste time looking for printed instructions.
Paramedics and firefighters will use their smartphones to read the black-and-white QR codes to find the best way to rescue injured people from the damaged cars.
Daimler says that after a quick scan, the QR codes will direct them to detailed rescue plans, including information about the best way to pry the vehicle apart.
Rescue sheets are available from some automakers, but hard copies are sometimes difficult to spot inside a damaged car in an emergency. And many cars may not even be carrying the sheets, which could delay the rescue.
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Daimler called the QR innovation "small yet effective," and opted against patenting the idea so that all automakers could start using the system.
The QR codes will be placed inside the fuel tank flaps and on the other side of the vehicles between the front and back doors.
"It seldom occurs that both these parts are badly damaged at the same time in an accident, and they are furthermore easily accessible from the outside," Daimler said.
QR codes were originally developed in Japan for the auto industry, but are now used globally for marketing, sales, product tracking and document management, among other applications.
Daimler owns Mercedes-Benz and other auto brands, including the Smart brand.
