Samsara Dash Cam – Complete Guide 2024

Samsara Dash Cam

$624 per year

8.6

Customer Support

7.5/10

Ease of Use

9.3/10

Installation

8.6/10

Suitable for fleets

9.0/10

Features & Technology

8.8/10

Custom Quote

A dashcam has become a necessity for vehicle owners, primarily commercial drivers. It does not only benefit drivers but also fleet managers. Automated dashcams have made a fleet manager’s job a lot easier because it provides a complete record of any incident that happened to the vehicle and its cause. Most dash cams come with main features like a front camera, built-in recorder, and sometimes rearview camera as well. The size is manageable and discreet, so it is not easily visible to anyone outside the truck or car. 

Motive (formerly KeepTruckin) and Samsara are some of the most famous names in the dashcam industry and can be found on our list of best dashcams for truckers. Samsara dash cam is easy to use, and people often take advantage of the company’s online tutorials and user manuals. 

Check Out the Price Here

What Features To Look For?

All these features are essential and have to be in a quality dashcam. Drivers may add or modify different features according to their specific needs. All of these features and more are present in the Samsara dashcam.

Built-In Recorder

Most dash cams have a built-in audio recorder plus a speaker. The main purpose of the speaker is to announce verbal alerts in case of unsafe driving behavior such as high speed or the use of mobile phones. 

The front camera will detect the driver’s non-ideal behavior and prompt the speaker to give alerts. It also records all kinds of audio data in the event of an accident.

Front and Rear-Camera

Dashcams always have a front camera, but sometimes there is an extra camera to video record the rearview. It provides added safety. You can request this added feature. 

Resolution Power

For good video quality, it is important that the dashcam records videos in 1080p HD. When the video is clear, you will easily be able to observe vehicles that are close to you and avoid collisions or abrupt breaks.

Night Mode

Dashcam with Infrared LED is the best feature for driving at night time. It works perfectly fine in low-light and dim-lit vehicles. This is one of the most important features in a standard dash cam, especially for truck drivers who make long journeys at night.

Field of View

A semi-angled lens is suitable for a wide field of view. A wide field of view will provide a clearer and larger view of the road and inside the vehicle. A clear view will make it easier to read car plate numbers in proximity.

Collision Detector

The dashcam should have very sensitive detectors to identify all the harsh incidents like high speeding, collision, and abrupt braking. Samsara dash cam is quite active, plus it will also upload this accident report to the cloud automatically. 

Wifi Connectivity

It is important to have wifi in a dash cam which will allow you to share important footage anywhere in no time. For local storage, there is a memory card in the dashcam. But if the storage runs out, then wifi will let you save videos on the cloud.

Pricing

You can request Samsara dashcam pricing from their website. After asking some questions about your vehicle, fleet size, etc., the price will be sent to you by email. So the price can vary depending on dashcam type and features. On average, the price will start from $624 per year.

If the cost of Samsara is beyond your budget, we suggest exploring our other articles where we have analyzed affordable options like the dashcams for $100 or less.

Request a free quote:

Technical Specifications

You can check out the best trucker dash cam options for 2024 here.

Why Buy The Samsara Dash Cam?

According to multiple surveys conducted by transportation companies, vehicles with dash cams are able to avoid accidents as compared to other vehicles. Improvement in driver behavior, fewer insurance claims, insurance discounts, and fewer legal fees are some of the benefits that have been reported over the years. Here are some reasons why you should invest in a Samsara dashcam.

  Easy to use

The easier a device is to use and install, the more chances are of people buying it. Most drivers do not want to spend a long time in the dash cam installment process and maintain it afterward. Installing and using a Samsara dash cam is very simple.

Here is a video showing how to use a Samsara dashcam.

  Reasonable price

Considering the number of features and benefits that the Samsara dash cam comes with, its price is quite reasonable. It can be a little expensive if it is custom-made for your fleet’s specific needs. But even then it is cheaper than other brands.

  Multiple camera configurations

There are a total of four configurations of the Samsara dashcam. An inside cam that will cover the storage area of the truck, outside configuration, front view, and the dual view (front plus rear camera view).

  Reduced cost of labor

Using dash cam has reportedly decreased the cost of labor. The user-friendly interface of Samsara dash cams, manuals, and interactive tutorials make it easy for drivers to install and maintain dash cams. So extra fee for labor is mostly avoided.

  Low insurance pricing and discounts

Making your fleet extra secure with dashcam may win you some insurance benefits and discounts. It is because you are at low risk of road accidents, and your fleet is safe. And if something does happen, you will be able to provide real proof for it.

  No False Claims

During road accidents, the blame is always put on a truck driver but mostly it’s not the case. A dashcam will provide video proof of what caused the accident, preventing your company from false claims and financial burdens.

  Driver’s Safety Scorecard

The Samsara dashcam keeps track of truckers’ safe driving habits and rewards them with scorecards. This has proven to be a great way to keep drivers motivated which lowers the risk of accidents.

 Get A Preview

With Samsara, there is no need to buy the product as a risk. Rather, you can preview its features before making the final decision. This preview is completely free of cost and you can check whether it works for you or not without paying a single penny!

  Easy To Use App

A lot of times, the drivers who are a part of the fleet business are not technologically literate. With Samsara, they get the advantage of learning to use the application in the minimum possible time. As this application is extremely easy to use, they get a hang of it pretty soon.

Installation Tips and Best Practices for Samsara Dash Cams

Installing a Samsara dash cam in your vehicle is a straightforward process designed to ensure you get the best possible coverage and recording quality. Follow these steps for a hassle-free installation:

  Selecting the Mounting Location

Clean the area of the windshield where you plan to mount the dash cam thoroughly. Position the camera below the rearview mirror to avoid obstructing the driver’s view and ensure it’s within the wiper sweep for clear visibility during various weather conditions.

  Mounting the Dash Cam

Remove the protective sheet from the adhesive pad and firmly press the dash cam against the windshield. No large bubbles should be between the adhesive and the glass. Adjust the camera angle to ensure it’s perfectly vertical, securing it with the provided hex key.

  Cable Management

Run the cable along the top of the windshield, securing it with cable clips or tucking it under the windshield’s seal. This not only keeps the installation neat but also prevents the cable from obstructing the driver’s view.

  Connecting to Power

Plug the camera into the USB port of the Vehicle Gateway (VG). Ensure the cable does not wrap around the gateway or cross the diagnostics cable to avoid interference.

  Verifying the Installation

Once installed, check that the dash cam appears on the Samsara dashboard under Devices > Cameras to confirm it’s correctly connected and functioning.

  Position Recommendations

For AI Event Detection, Samsara suggests mounting the dash cam at or above the driver’s eye level but not lower than 8.5 inches from the top of the windshield. This positioning ensures unobstructed recording and effective AI analysis.

Note: After installation, allow up to 24 hours for the dash cam to complete any necessary firmware upgrades. This is a one-time process to ensure the device operates on the latest software version.

The Verdict

With the increase in vehicle accidents, investing in a high-resolution dashcam is a great choice to make sure that your vehicle or fleet is safe. Samsara dash cam comes with several useful features which are mostly not available in the market.

The price is also very reasonable considering its multiple features and benefits. Some of the main vendors for the dashcam other than Samsara include Motive (formerly Keep Truckin), and Grdian. 

The constant surveillance and alerts of the Samsara dash cam will improve the driver’s behavior which will indirectly reduce the risk of accidents. But if anything does happen the HD video proof will prevent any financial burden with easy insurance claims. After all this, and still not sure how Samsara stacks up? Check out our list of best dashcams for truckers.