The Panic Button is an easy-to-use Vehicle Gateway (VG) accessory that enables drivers to alert fleet managers in the event of an emergency or other potential dangerous situation.
Panic buttons add security to your fleet when operating in high-risk areas or when transferring high-value goods.
If you also have dash cams deployed in your vehicles, Samsara also automatically captures and uploads any dash cam footage when the driver pushes the Panic Button.
Alerts triggered by pressing the panic button are differentiated from standard alerts within the dashboard. If you set up alert contacts, the contacts will be notified via an alert over text, email, Slack, or webhooks when the button is pressed.
Caution
The Panic Button is provided as is without any performance guarantee. Samsara is not responsible for any damage or harm caused by or related to an emergency or other potentially dangerous situation, regardless of whether the panic button is used.
The Panic Button is available in two models depending on your Vehicle Gateway version.
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VG34 – ACC-BPB (Install Guide PDF)
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VG54 – ACC-CPB (Install Guide PDF)
A Samsara Panic Button is a device hardwired to your Vehicle Gateway (VG) that drivers can use to alert fleet admins when there is an issue during a route.
To install a panic button, use the following detailed workflow or reference the PDF install guide for your panic button model. You will need:
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For customers currently utilizing Vehicle Gateway (VG) EN auxiliary inputs: Before starting the installation process for the panic button, remove any auxiliary input currently connected to the Input 1 wire on the VG cable, as it will interfere with the Panic Button signal. Move any existing input to the Input 2 wire instead.
For more information about the VG auxiliary input wires, see Auxiliary Inputs.
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Disconnect the VG molex connector and connect the male end of the panic button connector to the VG while re-attaching the female to the original VG connector cable.
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Proceed to Configure a Panic Button.
When you configure a Panic Button, you can configure a real-time alert notification to include a Panic Button event report. If you also have dash cams deployed in your vehicles, Samsara also automatically uploads the dash cam video for review with the incident.
To configure the Panic Button and set your alert options:
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Select the Settings icon (
) at the bottom of your Fleet menu to view dashboard settings.
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From the Devices settings, select Gateways and locate the vehicle where you installed the Panic Button
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Select the more actions ( ••• ) menu > Settings.
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Under Aux Input Type for Input Number 1, select Panic Button.
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Save the setting changes.
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Set up security alerts for panic button events.
See Alert Triggers for information on available alert settings and Alert Configuration for information on how to set up the alert.
Samsara displays a red alert banner in Fleet Overview when a driver pushes the panic button. This alert remains for 24 hours unless dismissed. Samsara also automatically captures the dash cam video when you have a dash cam installed in your vehicles.
