The different types of dash cams for trucks

What are truck dash cams and why do you need one?

Dash cams, or dash cameras, offer truck drivers and fleet managers more control over their fleet safety with features designed to increase visibility, reduce accidents, and lower collision costs. A car camera serves as an indisputable eyewitness to accidents and other driving hazards, providing video evidence to ensure that fleets stay safe and not-at-fault drivers are exonerated.

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What are the best dash cams and multi-cam systems?

Just as there are many different types of dash cams for trucks, there are many dash cam options available in the market today, such as Samsara, Motive, Lytx, and Netradyne. Which dash cam solution makes the most sense for your operations?

Below are some important features to consider before choosing the best dash cam for your fleet.

• Storage: Fancy dash cam features will be all for naught if the recorded footage is not available for future access. There are two popular storage options: micro SD cards or memory cards that allot for a certain amount of video to be saved or internet-connected dash cams that automatically upload footage to the cloud, eliminating the need for manual retrieval.

• Internet connectivity: WiFi or car embedded internet connections allow dash cam footage to seamlessly upload to the cloud for future access.

• Mounting: There are different ways to install dash cams on your vehicle via a suction cup or adhesive. Adhesive attachments are a good quality option that offers quick, easy, and secure installs.

• Image resolution: Crisp video quality is critical when reviewing video footage. For optimal quality, take a look at dash cams with a wide-angle lens or wide dynamic range (WDR) that offer full HD videos. Consider FHD or HD 1080p video if you want best-in-class resolution strong enough to read license plates and detect whether eyes are open or closed.

• AI safety detections: Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have made it possible to power dash cams with smart, automated functionality that improves safety. AI-powered dash cams can detect safety hazards and risky behaviors in real time, enabling fleets to take a proactive approach to safety. 

1. Front-facing dash cams

Designed to increase visibility for safety-conscious fleet managers, front-facing dash cameras capture superior-quality video via g-sensor of the road ahead. The black box camera can be mounted to the windshield in less time than it takes to fill up a tank of gas, immediately providing truck drivers and fleet managers more visibility into their operations. Front-facing dash cams, including Samsara AI dash cams, use sensors to automatically detect incidents and upload footage to the Samsara dashboard, which can integrate with Google maps to give fleet managers both video and location data.

2. Dual-facing dash cams

Dual-facing dash cams capture inward- and outward-facing video for a comprehensive look at both the road ahead and the cab. Designed to improve driver behavior, this dash cam's wide-angle lenses offer clear views of in-cab activity and outdoor surroundings. This enables fleet managers to quickly detect distracted or dangerous driving. Circulate or share video footage with employees later as a jumping off point for driver coaching. Worried about nighttime driving? Rest easy. Certain dual-facing dash cams, like Samsara's, provide infrared LED for low-light hours or unlit roads.

3. Auxiliary camera system solutions

Multi-camera dash cams and auxiliary camera system solutions provide a 360° view into every vehicle to help protect drivers and their vehicles. This gives drivers the ability to see the full picture of what’s behind and beside them, decreasing blind-spot collisions and visibility into vehicle interiors.

4. Exterior cameras

Exterior cameras can be mounted to the outside of the vehicle to capture a 360° view of the vehicle and surrounding road. This is particularly useful when drivers are confronted with blind spots and need to make tight turns or simply change lanes.

It can be challenging for a driver to get the full picture, especially while operating a larger vehicle such as a semi-truck or tractor-trailer. Exterior cameras capture what drivers might miss, alleviating any uncertainty in the event of an accident or property damage. Rear cameras capture other vehicles or objects behind the vehicle that might go undetected in the rearview mirror, while side cameras record an ultra-crisp view of objects beside the vehicle. License plates are easily captured by either camera to easily identify other vehicles in case of an accident.

5. Interior cameras

Interior cameras capture activity inside a vehicle to keep passengers safe and boost cargo security. Footage is recorded and stored to decrease instances of vandalism or bullying in passenger transit vehicles. Trucks and trailers can use interior cameras to reduce or resolve cargo theft by continuously monitoring all in-cabin activity.

Why is the Samsara AI Dash Cam the best dash cam for trucks?

While there are many dash cams for trucks available on the market, such as those from Motive, Netradyne, and Lytx, Samsara AI Dash Cams set themselves apart because they offer robust hardware, industry-leading AI safety detections, proactive driver coaching workflows, and encrypted security to help fleets improve visibility and safety. Here is some of the key functionality that makes Samsara stand out:

• Dash cam hardware and video capabilities: Samsara’s ruggedized AI Dash Cams provide 1440p resolution, advanced night vision, and built-in cellular connectivity to deliver clear, dependable footage whenever you need it.

• Video access and storage: Samsara provides instant, in-platform access to secure, high-resolution video, with up to 746 hours of encrypted storage—enabling safety managers to quickly exonerate drivers and investigate incidents with ease.

• Coaching workflows: Samsara provides safety managers with tools like In-Cab Alerts and personalized coaching workflows that accelerate incident review and empower drivers when it matters most.

• Auxiliary camera system solutions: Samsara’s AI Multicam system connects up to six camera feeds with features such as blind spot alerts, in-cab monitoring, and audio capture—delivering 360° visibility and centralized cloud access for fleet safety.

Take a look at our guide, A Head-to-Head Comparison of the Best Dash Cam Solutions, for an in-depth analysis of how Samsara AI Dash Cams compare to Motive, Netradyne, and Lytx.

Watch the video below to see how Chalk Mountain Services uses Samsara AI Dash Cams to improve coaching, increase safe driving, and reduce accident costs by 86%.

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CM31:

• Front-facing AI Dash cam

• Captures accidents and near misses, and expedites insurance claims

• HD video

• Built-in audio

• Internet-connected

• HDR for low-light recording and night vision

• GPS integration

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CM32:

• Dual-facing AI Dash Cam

• Reduces high-risk driving behavior and exonerates not-at-fault drivers

• HD video

• Built-in audio

• Internet-connected

• Infrared LED for low-light recording and night vision

• GPS integration

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Samsara AI Dash Cams capture driving events and automatically upload high-quality video footage to the cloud, documenting everything from sudden braking to full-fledged collisions. An AI-powered platform detects dangerous driving, automatically alerting fleet managers to take action -- whether that's navigating a driver to the nearest maintenance shop or providing one-on-one coaching. Dash cams can also exonerate innocent drivers with footage of an accident, expediting insurance company processes and payouts.

Samsara's suite of high-quality dash cams provide crystal-clear insights into a fleet's performance and safety. Highlights of Samsara dash cam technology include:

• AI-powered platform that detects distracted driving

• High-quality video recording, even in poor lighting conditions

• Internet-connected cameras that automatically upload footage of harsh events

• Plug-and-play configuration that gets you up and running in minutes, with a power cable that connects directly to Samsara's vehicle gateway

• On-demand video retrieval for a max of 60 hours of drive time

Learn how Samsara AI Dash Cams can help improve your safety operations by diving into our Cameras and Video solution and speak with our team today.