Samsara Inc. has added a 360-degree AI camera to its equipment offering, aiming to give managers the same kind of safety and operational visibility on job sites that the company already provides for road fleets. The Samsara 360 Camera uses a dual-fisheye lens and a single mounting point to capture a full surround view of machines such as excavators, forklifts and airport pushback equipment. It is paired with Samsara Equipment, the company's platform for monitoring and managing those assets.
The camera is intended for open-cab equipment used in construction, warehouses, mines and airports. Samsara notes these machines often operate close to workers and other equipment, and previously lacked camera systems designed for their conditions. Without ground-level footage, the company says, incident investigations could stall and liability disputes could persist, while unsafe practices might recur.
Safety visibility around open-cab machines
David Gal, vice president of product and engineering at Samsara, said frontline operators of forklifts, excavators and ground equipment perform some of the riskiest work in physical operations. He described the machines as having open cabs, no windshield and no roof, with hazards on every side. According to Gal, the camera was built to withstand those conditions and see around the operator so customers can protect workers in warehouses, on job sites and on airport ramps in the same way they protect road drivers.
Samsara says the 360 Camera differs from conventional equipment camera setups, which typically require four cameras, four mounts and a separate recorder. Its single-mount design captures a 360-degree view, and managers can pan and zoom through recorded events to review them from multiple angles. The unit installs in a manner similar to Samsara's dash cameras and is designed for harsh weather and rough operating conditions.
AI detection and incident review
The company is tying the camera to its Samsara AI, which it says draws on nearly a decade of development with Samsara AI Dash Cams. The system can detect mobile phone use, camera obstruction, seat and lap belt use and harsh impacts. It is trained on how equipment is actually operated, according to Samsara. Managers can use the resulting data to identify operators, sites and equipment types with repeated risky behaviour. When an impact occurs, video is automatically routed to the Samsara Safety Inbox, giving investigators evidence rather than conflicting accounts, the company says.
Samsara says managers can coach operators using their own footage, enforce zero-tolerance mobile phone policies and accelerate OSHA investigations without adding headcount. Timestamped video can also support insurance claims and help establish or clear liability quickly, according to the company.
Equipment monitoring on one platform
On the equipment side, Samsara for Equipment combines the camera with monitoring and agents on the same platform used for road fleets. Teams can track how long forklifts or excavators sit idle, schedule preventive maintenance based on engine hours rather than the calendar, and assess how many forklifts actually run at peak before buying more. Samsara agents work with the equipment out of the box, so a fault code can open a work order automatically, the company says. It also positions the platform as a way to avoid separate OEM portals for each equipment brand, with vehicles, equipment and operators managed in one place.