Welcome to Motive! We are happy to have you on board. At Motive, we have multiple resources available to help you get started and make the most of your investment. Please open the links listed below to read our onboarding documentation and set up your Smart Dashcam for success.
Step 1: Adjusting and Installing Smart Dashcam
1. How to install Motive Smart Dashcam
| Note: Before you install your Smart Dashcam, make sure your vehicle gateway is properly installed. Your vehicle's engine needs to be running as well. |
1. Clean the mounting location with the provided alcohol swab.
| Note: The ideal mounting location is the top center of the windshield or to the side of the rearview mirror (where it won’t obscure the driver’s view). |
2. Peel the backing off the adhesive strip on the back of the dash cam and orient the dash cam so that the road-facing camera is on the bottom.
3. Press and hold the dash camera against the windshield for 15 seconds to ensure a strong connection.
DC-33: Road-facing dashcam
DC-34: Road and driver-facing dashcam
4. Wrap the USB cable around the edge of your windshield using the provided wire clips.
5. Clean the side of the Vehicle Gateway with the alcohol swab to ensure proper adhesion to the USB Holder.
6. Peel the backing off the adhesive strip from the USB connector on the Smart Dashcam.
7. Connect the USB cable to the Vehicle Gateway and hold it for 10 seconds to ensure proper adhesion.
8. Make sure that the Vehicle Gateway is properly installed.
| Note: Use the adhesive strips on the bottom of the Vehicle Gateway to mount it and ensure it doesn’t move. Zip ties can also be used. |
9. A driver profile and vehicle profile will need to be created in order to use the Smart Dashcam. You can add these from the Admin panel on the Motive Fleet Dashboard.
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Note: If you want to create a driver and vehicle profile, visit: |
If a driver and vehicle profile already exists, you are ready to test the Smart Dashcam.
10. Adjust the dashcam so the camera has an unobstructed view of the road (and if you have a dual-facing model, an unobstructed view of the driver as well). If needed, you can use a coin to adjust the camera lenses accordingly by rotating the side screws. For the best view, Motive recommends horizontally aligned screws.
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Note: The camera has an LED indicator on it, which shows the current status of the dashcam: Dashcam light solid red: the camera is powered up and recording. |
2. How to enable Audio Recording feature on Smart Dashcam
| Note: Enabling this feature enables Audio Recording for all vehicles, recording audio continuously, and providing it for critical events and recalled videos. |
1. Log into the Fleet Dashboard and click on the Admin icon in the left-hand side menu.
2. Click Safety under the PRODUCTS dropdown menu.
3. Scroll down to Dashcam and click Edit.
4. Enable In-Cab Audio Recording.
5. A confirmation pop-up appears. Click on Confirm to continue.
6. Click on the Save button.
3. How to view Dashcam serial number details
1. Log into the Motive Fleet Admin Dashboard.
2. Go to Safety in the left-hand side menu.
3. Select Dashcams.
4. Go to ... next to the vehicle for which you want to check the details and select View more details.
5. You can check the installation date, dashcam serial no., dashcam firmware, vehicle gateway serial no., vehicle gateway firmware, and vehicle gateway model.
Step 2: Testing Smart Dashcam
1. Log into the Driver App and click on Logs.
2. Tap on Current Vehicle.
| Note: Learn how to connect your mobile device to your Vehicle Gateway. |
3. Under the Current Vehicle section tap on Manage Dashcam.
| Note: If the camera is detected, it will show ‘Detected’ in green and will give you an option to take a test image. |
4. On the Manage Dashcam screen, tap on View Images to see if your Dashcam is working.
You will be taken to a new screen where you can view your images. If the Dashcam is dual-facing then you will see both images together.
Adjust the Dashcam accordingly so the camera has an unobstructed view of the road (and if you have a dual-facing model, an unobstructed view of the driver as well). If needed, you can use a coin to adjust the camera lenses accordingly by rotating the side screws. For the best view, Motive recommends horizontally aligned screws.
DC-33: Road-facing dashcam
DC-34: Road and driver-facing dashcam
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Note: The camera has an LED indicator on it, which shows the current status of the Dashcam:
Dashcam light solid red: the camera is powered up and recording. |
Step 3: Using Smart Dashcam
1. How to watch Dashcam videos
1. Log into the Motive Fleet Dashboard and click on Safety in the left-hand side menu.
2. Click on the Events tab.
3. Use the filters like Time, Severity, Drivers & Vehicles, All Events, Coaching Statuses to get a customized view of the trips.
4. Use the filter of Video only to ensure the events shown are the ones with videos.
5. If a video is available for a specific event, you will see Dashcam Video icons with the listed event. Hovering your mouse over the icon shows if the video capture is from a Pending Review or a Media available.
6. Click on an event to see more details about it.
7. The event’s page opens up and the video starts playing automatically for the available view.
8. The Event Details panel on the right displays details like severity level, additional unsafe behaviors, and driver/vehicle/location information.
9. To download the video for this event, click on the Download icon in the bottom right corner of the video.
2. What is Dashcam Live Images feature
Live Image capture capability is a convenient hub for Fleet Admins to access real-time visuals directly from the device. This feature lets you request the latest capture alongside the timestamp for instant reference.
This option is available on your dashboard under the vehicle profile. With the flexibility to request up to 100 images daily, you can stay informed with a comprehensive visual record. Plus, image updates align seamlessly with the cellular data connectivity of the Vehicle Gateway, ensuring a dynamic and reliable stream of visuals.
1. How to Request Live Images on Fleet Dashboard
1. Log into the Fleet Dashboard. The Fleet View displays.
2. Click on the vehicle you want to request a live image for.
3. The most recent image (either from a live image request or from trip images) displays on the camera card by default in the Live tab, along with the timestamp that was last updated.
4. Click Refresh on the camera card to view the live image.
5. When the image is done refreshing, Images updated successfully appear on the card. A new image appears along with the new timestamp updated Live.
Step 4: Smart Dashcam Alerts
1. Smart Dashcam In-Cab Alerts
When unsafe behavior is detected, the Smart Dashcam automatically notifies drivers through audio feedback. To enable the in-cab alerts below, you will need to visit your Motive Fleet Dashboard.
The following in-cab alerts are available for activation:
1. Driver not connected to a vehicle
Drivers forgetting to log in to the mobile application are reminded to do so every 5 minutes.
2. Speeding above policy
Drivers alerted to slow down above a company-defined speed threshold.
3. Speeding above posted speed limit
Drivers are alerted if their speed is over the defined limit for a particular duration of time.
- Hard cornering: alerted when a critical event has been detected for cornering excessively
- Hard braking: alerted when a critical event has been detected for braking excessively
- Hard acceleration: alerted when a critical event has been detected for accelerating aggressively
4. How to Set up?
- Click on the left bottom corner of your Fleet Admin Dashboard to be on the admin section.
- Click on the company option from the left sidebar
- Click on edit company information.
- Scroll down to dashcam settings and in-cab audio alerts
- You can set these thresholds up to your choice.
2. How to enable Dashcam In-Cab Alerts
1. Log in to the Fleet Dashboard and click the Admin icon at the bottom left corner.
2. Click Safety from the left-hand menu to access your company details.
3. Scroll down to Dashcam and click on Edit.
4. In the Dashcam section, click the In-Cab Alerts dropdown and select On to enable the alerts.
5. Click the checkboxes for the options you want to activate.
6. Set the speeding limit in the Alert driver is speed is over box. Drivers get a voice prompt warning them every time they exceed the defined speeding limit.
7. Set the Speeding above posted speed limit along with the duration.
8. Click Save at the top right corner to save the settings.
Step 5: Troubleshooting Steps
1. Smart Dashcam Not Powering Up
Cause
- Rust or Corrosion
- Indirect Connection
- Other/Unknown
Solution
1. Checklist
- Unplug the Smart Dashcam from the Vehicle Gateway port and plug it into a different USB port with an active power source. If it remains off, it means the Dashcam is probably defective.
- If the Smart Dashcam is powering up, that means there is an issue with the Vehicle Gateway's USB port.
- Inspect the USB port in the Vehicle Gateway for any damage/corrosion or try charging your mobile device from the same port to confirm.
- Make sure that no other device (like a USB hub) is plugged between the Vehicle Gateway and Smart Dashcam. The Dashcam is supposed to be directly connected to the Vehicle Gateway.
- Try swapping the Dashcam with another working Dashcam to check if the other test unit powered up/worked properly.
- Try to connect the reported dashcam in another Cellular Vehicle Gateway (that already has a working Dashcam connected to it).
- If the Smart Dashcam still doesn’t power up after going through the aforementioned checks, please follow the instructions below to troubleshoot the issue:
2. Troubleshooting Steps
| Note: (Normal lights: left = green, right = red (Motive App isn't connected and engine status isn't being detected) / flashing red (Motive App isn't connected and engine is being detected as turned on) / green (Motive app is connected) |
- Turn on the vehicle's engine and check if the Vehicle Gateway lights are turning on.
- Turn off the vehicle's engine and unplug the Dashcam.
- Unplug the Vehicle Gateway from the vehicle diagnostic port and wait for 5+ mins.
- Make sure that the cable connectors and the vehicle's diagnostic port are clean and the connector pins are also looking fine.
- After 5 min, plug the Vehicle Gateway to the vehicle diagnostics port and make sure the connections are firm/secure.
- Now turn on the vehicle engine and wait for the GPS light (left-hand side) to turn solid green.
- Plug in the Dashcam cable back into the vehicle gateway and check for status of LED light on the Dashcam.
| Note: The left LED light is for GPS If the positioning of the Vehicle Gateway is such that you can see the Motive logo on the top. |
1. Testing Dashcam/View Images (Driver App)
1. Log into the Driver App and click on Logs.
2. Tap on Current Vehicle.
| Note: Learn how to connect your mobile device to your Vehicle Gateway. |
3. Under the Current Vehicle section tap on Manage Dashcam.
| Note: If the camera is detected, it shows ‘Detected’ in green and gives you an option to take a test image. |
4. On the Manage Dashcam screen, tap on View Images to see if your dashcam is working.
| Note: If the camera is detected, it will show ‘connected’ and will give you an option to take a test image. |
5. Look for the status of the LED on the dashcam (ON / OFF).
The Smart Dashcam has an LED indicator on it, which shows the current status of the dashcam:
- Dashcam light solid red: the camera is powered up and recording.
- Dashcam light flashing red: the camera is updating its firmware.
- Dashcam light solid white: the camera is malfunctioning.
- Dashcam light flashing white: the camera is overheating.
Still not working? Contact us.
3. How to update Dashcam firmware
1. The LED light on the Smart Dashcam blinks red in the pattern of On > Off > On while the firmware is getting updated. Once the update starts, the LED light flashes solid red color.
2. After a few seconds it disappears and indicates no color.
3. Within the next few seconds the LED bar starts flashing solid red color again.
This On > Off > On cycle continues until your Smart Dashcam firmware is getting updated. Once the update is complete, the LED turns to a solid red color to indicate the regular recording operation.
4. Camera is not working, solid white light
Solid white light on Smart Dashcam most of the time indicates storage issues and requires further investigation by the safety team. Get in touch with Motive support and report the issue to get it resolved.
5. Camera blinking Blue Light
Cause
- The Dashcam is enabled for live streaming
Solution
- You don’t need to take any resolution steps if the Dashcam light is blinking blue. However, if the DC light doesn’t turn blue after installation then check the installation again and ensure that the Dashcam is set up correctly.
6. Why Dashcam Videos are Pending/not Uploading?
Cause
- The vehicle engine is off.
Solution
- Check If the engine turns on after you request the videos.
- If not, turn the engine on and wait for 5-10 minutes to get the requested videos uploaded.
- If the engine is on, perform the following troubleshooting steps for the Vehicle Gateway device to reboot.
Troubleshooting steps:
- Turn the engine off.
- Unplug the Vehicle Gateway and wait for 2-3 minutes
- Plug the Vehicle Gateway back.
- Start the engine.
- Keep the engine running for 5-10 minutes.
- The requested videos are now uploaded.
7. Dashcam disconnects frequently
Cause
- Unknown
Solution
If your Motive Dashcam keeps on getting disconnected, follow the steps listed below:
- Check the cable connection of both the Vehicle Gateway and the Dashcam.
- Turn off the engine and disconnect the Vehicle Gateway and Dashcam.
- Inspect the cable on both the ends and the diagnostic port of the vehicle.
- Inspect the camera cable and USB port of the Vehicle Gateway.
- Connect the Vehicle Gateway back to the vehicle.
- Start the engine and wait for the red/green LED light to turn on the Vehicle Gateway.
- Connect the Dashcam to the Vehicle Gateway.
- Ensure all connections are clean and tight.
Congratulations! You're all set to use the Motive Smart Dashcam. For more information, click the links in the Related Content section or browse through our Help Center.
Related Content
- Which Vehicle Gateway works with the Smart Dashcam?
- Can Motive smart Dashcam be used with other companies ELD?