OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Stuttgart, Germany, Jun 11, 2010
Comprehensive safety concept: Eight airbags, crash-responsive head restraints and an electronic guardian angel
All models have numerous features as standard which help to make long journeys as well as short urban trips even safer and more relaxed. These features include the unique anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®, a complete restraint system with eight airbags, crash-responsive NECK-PRO front head restraints, a tyre pressure loss warning system and adaptive brake lights. Safety is also enhanced by high-performance telematic systems such as the Audio 20, Audio 50 APS or COMAND APS with an extremely user-friendly interface, as well as a raised seating position. This gives the driver a good view of the traffic conditions, enabling him or her to recognise potential dangers more quickly and easily.
Everything considered: integral Mercedes-Benz safety concept
The comprehensive Mercedes approach to integral safety also applies in the new R-Class. This trailblazing safety philosophy goes well beyond compliance with standardised crash test regulations. It concerns itself with all aspects of driving – everything that is important for the safety of the vehicle occupants and other road users. The Mercedes safety concept divides these aspects into four phases:
1. Safe driving: avoiding danger, warning and assisting in good time
2. In the event of danger: acting in an anticipatory manner, e.g. with PRE-SAFE®
3. In an accident: provide protection as needed
4. After an accident: avoid even worse consequences and make rapid assistance possible
Comprehensive restraint system for the best possible occupant protection
Combined with the front and rear deformation zones, the high-strength occupant cell forms an effective basis for occupant protection systems that include:
- adaptive, two-stage airbags for the driver and front passenger
- sidebags in the front, and in the middle row of seats as an option
- windowbags across all three rows of seats
- NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints for the driver and front passenger (optionally NECK-PRO luxury head restraints)
- 3-point seat belts on all seats
- belt tensioners and belt-force limiters for driver and front seat passenger
- seat belt tensioners and single-stage belt-force limiters in the middle and rear seat rows
- ISOFIX child seat anchorages for up to three child restraint systems in the centre seat row
- belt height adjustment for the driver and front passenger
- belt status display for rear-seat passengers in the instrument cluster
- automatic child seat recognition (optional) with deactivation of the front passenger airbag if a special Mercedes-Benz child seat is fitted
The electronic guardian angel: PRE-SAFE® has a preventive effect
Occupant protection in the new R-Class begins well before an accident. The Mercedes-Benz invention PRE-SAFE® is able to activate preventive measures reflexively when it recognises the danger of an accident, so that the belts and airbags can protect the occupants to best effect during the collision. This multiple award-winning technology is standard equipment.
PRE-SAFE® uses a synergy of active and passive safety: it is networked with Brake Assist (BAS) and the Electronic Stability Program ESP®, whose sensors can recognise potentially critical handling situations and send corresponding information to the electronic control units within milliseconds. These sensor data are also used for preventive occupant protection by PRE-SAFE®. The PRE-SAFE® protective measures are reversible: if the accident is avoided, the preventive belt tensioning is relaxed automatically, and the passengers can return the seats and sliding sunroof to their original positions. The preventive occupant protection is then immediately ready for use again.
In case the worst happens: Daimler trains the fire services
Like the R-Class, all automobiles from Mercedes-Benz are among the world's safest. This high protection potential is the result of Daimler AG's comprehensive approach. Of course, however, protective measures reach their limits if the parameters make control intervention more difficult and - in the case of very serious accidents – if access to and recovery of the occupants is sometimes no longer possible via the vehicle doors.
Even in these extreme circumstances, where the focus is on "patient-compatible recovery", the company follows its comprehensive safety philosophy and assists the emergency services with their work. This is because the effectiveness of post-accident assistance, where emergency doctors, paramedics and the fire services work together to recover the occupants as rapidly and carefully as possible, depends absolutely on preparation. To this end, Daimler AG offers the fire services practical training events during which they can learn and apply a wide variety of recovery techniques using the latest models. In addition, Daimler provides detailed recovery guidelines and so-called 'rescue cards' online. These are in accordance with the standards set by the VDA workgroup, and show recovery techniques specific to the different model series.
Tradition: 40 years of accident research at Mercedes-Benz
This close cooperation between Daimler safety specialists, the emergency services and the police has a long tradition: in 1969 Mercedes-Benz started its ongoing accident research programme, in which engineers evaluate collisions involving the company's vehicles in the Stuttgart region soon after they occur – and in special cases even worldwide. Again and again, the findings of the accident researchers provide important information on components that can be specifically improved in terms of passive safety. The investigators have examined around 4000 accidents since their work started 40 years ago. Each crash is documented with an 80-page accident report. This continuously growing database will enable vehicles to be made even safer in the future.
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