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ContinentalContinental has unveiled a groundbreaking sensor platform, SAM-ERTS (Seismic Activity Monitoring – Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System), designed to significantly enhance early detection of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. By leveraging its proven automotive sensor technology, the company is now making a vital contribution to global disaster risk reduction efforts.
The new platform, developed by Continental’s intelligent sensor solutions team, transforms high-precision vehicle sensors into life-saving tools capable of identifying seismic events in real time. The innovation is particularly timely as climate change, urbanisation, and global travel increase the urgency for robust, scalable early warning systems.
SAM-ERTS utilises Continental’s existing in-vehicle sensors, typically used for detecting wheel movements and road surface changes, to collect seismic data while vehicles are in operation. These readings are then analysed and sent via connected systems to central monitoring stations, enabling authorities to identify abnormal seismic activity quickly and accurately.
Kurt Lehmann, Senior Technology Advisor at Continental, explained the innovation's impact:
“We are using technology that is already available in millions of vehicles to create a system that can help protect people worldwide. It’s a powerful example of how automotive innovations can be used for much more than mobility.”
The first successful trials of SAM-ERTS are already under way in Japan, a country frequently affected by earthquakes. Continental has partnered with local researchers and agencies to validate the system's potential in real-world scenarios.
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SAM-ERTS represents a significant advancement in the integration of mobility technology with public safety infrastructure. Unlike traditional seismic stations, which are often limited in number and fixed in location, vehicles fitted with SAM-ERTS technology become mobile data collectors, vastly increasing geographic coverage and data precision.
This distributed, dynamic model is especially valuable in densely populated or geologically active regions, where early warnings can save countless lives by giving people more time to take protective action. Continental’s goal is to scale the system internationally, in collaboration with governments, scientific institutions, and vehicle manufacturers.
Beyond earthquake detection, SAM-ERTS can be integrated into broader environmental monitoring networks. Its ability to detect unusual vibrations could be adapted for other applications such as landslide warnings or monitoring the structural integrity of roads and bridges.
The platform also aligns with Continental’s Vision Zero strategy, zero fatalities, zero injuries, zero crashes by broadening the company’s impact from vehicle safety to planetary safety. As vehicles become more intelligent and connected, Continental is leading the way in turning mobility into a tool for global wellbeing.
SAM-ERTS is more than just a technological achievement; it is a testament to how innovation in the private sector can meaningfully contribute to public safety and disaster resilience. With real-time data, smart integration, and cross-sector collaboration, Continental is helping usher in a new era of intelligent, proactive disaster response.