The integral safety concept from Mercedes-Benz divides vehicle safety into four phases:

When driving, the vehicle helps the driver to identify potentially dangerous situations promptly and react safely. In the second phase, in critical situations, anticipatory safety systems can prepare the vehicle and its occupants for an imminent collision. During an accident, occupants can receive highly effective, individual protection from a range of passive safety systems. The fourth component covers the phase after an accident, when for example the hazard warning lamps are activated automatically to reduce the risk of follow-on accidents. Mercedes-Benz has also published comprehensive multilingual Rescue Guidelines (accessible online) as an additional aid to the emergency services.