TECHNOLOGY
Streamlining maintenance In addition, Samsara introduced its new Connected Asset Maintenance feature, which uses agentic AI to help fleets priori- tize vehicle maintenance work and translate fault code data into actionable intelligence. Tapping into historical operating data, the AI provides context such as the severity of a particular fault code and the estimated cost to fix it, along with the likelihood that it will turn into a more severe fault if not addressed and the associated cost. Shipping and mailing service provider Pitney Bowes has been utilizing Samsara’s technology to streamline maintenance pro- cesses and also is testing the new Agent Stu- dio to help free up time for its employees. “We want our managers spending more time with our drivers and less time behind the desk,” said Michael Keller, director of network solutions at the company. “Reten- tion is the key. Without the drivers behind the wheel, we don’t work here. This AI, this automation, this is going to bridge that gap.” Enhancing the driver experience Samsara also is expanding its AI- powered in-cab visibility and communica- tions tools, including enhancements to its AI Multicam platform for on-road fleets. For vehicles such as box trucks operating in urban environments, the company has added Bird’s Eye View, a new feature that provides drivers with a top-down, 360- degree composite view of the vehicle’s im- mediate surroundings. This viewpoint as- sists drivers as they navigate crowded yards and narrow spaces to help prevent crashes. “It gives you that extra set of eyes in tough-to-maneuver conditions,” said Jo- han Land, senior vice president of product at Samsara. Bird’s Eye View uses AI to stitch to- gether video from four fisheye cameras positioned around the vehicle. The new capability will be available by the end of this summer, Land said. The company also introduced its new 360 Camera for operated equipment such as forklifts, construction machinery and airport ground equipment. The camera system elim- inates blind spots by providing a full pan- oramic view from a single mounting point. “This 360-degree visibility changes the fundamentals of safety,” L d d. Additionally, new two munication functionality h h fundamentals of safety,” Land said. Additionally, new two-way voice com- munication functionality through
share experiences, troubleshoot challenges and learn from each other. “We have spent more than a decade build- ing one of the most diverse and experienced customer bases in physical operations,” said Meagen Eisenberg, Samsara’s chief market- ing o cer. “The Samsara Community is how we put that collective knowledge to work and shape the industry’s future.” Samsara Community members can par- ticipate in product-specific forums and in- dustry and regional groups, access a range of Samsara resources and participate in programs that inform Samsara’s product road map. Beyond 2026, Samsara’s fifth annual customer conference, drew about 4,000 attendees, the company said. Smart tracking label o ers new option for shipment monitoring By Seth Clevenger Managing Editor, Features and Multimedia LAS VEGAS — Samsara has introduced a smart tracking label that creates a new, lower-cost option for continuous ship- ment monitoring. The Samsara Tracking Label is a printable, single-use sticker that adheres to a package or pallet and connects with the technology supplier’s ubiquitous Bluetooth network to provide constant location updates. The flexible, paper-thin label, which contains a small battery with a 45-day life once activated, is designed to be dis- carded after the shipment arrives. The Bluetooth-based label provides a constant flow of tracking updates by sending low-energy signals that can be received by the millions of connected Samsara devices installed on trucks, trailers, vehicles and other equipment on virtually all major U.S. roads and at ware- houses and worksites across the country. Samsara said transportation businesses c h f m of shipment tracking to i rove customer service, proactively address de- lays and disruptions. “This kind of visibility can use this form of shipment tracking to improve customer service,
Attendees gather in the expo hall at Samsara Beyond 2026 in Las Vegas. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
Samsara extends AI to ‘automate away' grind, boost safety By Seth Clevenger Managing Editor, Features and Multimedia LAS VEGAS — Samsara is embedding artificial intelligence deeper into its connected-operations technology, enabling fleets to further automate back-o ce tasks and support drivers with voice assistance and camera-aided visibility in the cab. Sanjit Biswas, the company’s CEO and co-founder, said AI has grown more pow- erful within the past year, with AI agents now increasingly capable of not only pro- viding insight but formulating plans and taking action. “AI can now start automating away some of the task work that has to hap- pen every single day as part of your oper- ation. And this is a huge unlock. We can now automate away the grind,” Biswas said June 24 at Samsara’s Beyond 2026 conference. As part of this shift toward automated workflows, the technology supplier is put- ting agentic AI development directly in the hands of its customers with its new Agent Studio, which fleet operators can use to create and deploy their own cus- tomized AI agents. Building on data generated by mil- lions of connected vehicles and equip- ment, fleet operators can configure vir- tual agents to handle myriad tasks, such as communicating key information to drivers, generating daily fleet perfor- mance summaries and enhancing vehi- cle maintenance processes.
Users can build custom agents from scratch or utilize more than 15 pre-built templates across safety and maintenance, all without requiring expertise in software development. “It’s all in plain English and powered by the Samsara data you already have in the system,” Biswas said. Fleets can experiment with Agent Stu- dio now in open beta testing. To support fleet safety e orts, Samsara is also applying AI to driver ride-alongs and coaching. Standard ride-alongs typically involve a senior driver or trainer in the cab taking notes on the driver’s performance behind the wheel, including proper mirror checks, anticipation of potential hazards and signs of aggressiveness or disengagement. While those ride-alongs can catch sub- tle driving behaviors that otherwise might have gone unnoticed, they require signifi- cant time and labor. To address this, Samsara is rolling out AI-powered ride-alongs, which enable fleets to more closely assess driver perfor- mance at scale. The new feature is avail- able now in beta testing. Samsara developed the AI ride-along capability in collaboration with food dis- tributor UNFI, which ranks No. 16 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America. “AI isn’t the story. It’s just the next chapter, and all of us have a role in writing that next chapter,” said Tehzin Chadwick, UNFI’s chief safety o cer. AI can also help fleets better under- stand which of their drivers need help with coaching. Samsara’s new Coaching Priority feature predicts which drivers present the highest risk of being involved in a crash so fleets can focus their resources where it matters most.
the Samsara dash cam al- lows drivers and fleet managers to exchange messages without rely- ing on mobile phones or external communication tools. Businesses also can use that same channel to send drivers automated AI briefings, which can
enables us to change the game, going from reac- ive to proactive. You can make decisions so much earlier,” said David Gal, Samsara’s vice president of onnected equipment. Gal introduced and ated the new tracking la- age at the company’s Be- tive to proactive. You can connected equipment.
d demonstrated the new tracking la- bel June 24 on stage at the company’s Be- yond 2026 customer conference. b l 2 d 2026 mer conference. The smart labels also can help fight the escalation of cargo theft, a growing industry problem that Samsara said has been com- pounded by insu cient shipment visibility. “Cargo theft is a national crisis in the United States, costing the economy more than $35 billion a year,” Gal said.
deliver information rang g from an overview of the ahead to tra c and weather conditions and safety coaching reminders. Sharing knowledge The company also introduced the Samsara Community, an online hub and professional network for customers around the world to deliver information ranging from an overview of the route
July 2026, Issue 1 • Transport Topics 10
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