By Jason Mercer | Updated July 2026
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If you have been searching for a dedicated security camera for your truck bed, you have probably heard of Canopy, the camera that was specifically designed to be a pickup truck monitoring system that generated a lot of buzz when it launched in 2023. We published an article on the exciting prospects of this product shortly after it was launched. But unfortunately Canopy as we knew it no longer exists. Ford has fully acquired the brand and discontinued the original pickup cam and rolled out their own version that only works with select Ford models.
This article will help you understand who the new Ford truck bed camera is for, and what the best alternative for truck bed security is. Whether you drive a Toyota Tundra, Chevy Silverado, Ram 1500 or an older Ford that doesn’t qualify, there’s a good alternative worth knowing about.
What Was Canopy?
Back in January 2022, Ford Motor Company and ADT announced a joint venture to create a vehicle security company called Canopy. The idea was to bring smart home style security technology to the pickup truck world. They result was an AI powered camera system that monitored your truck bed in real time when the vehicle was parked.
The Canopy Pickup Cam officially began shipping to customers in late 2023 with a price tag of $299 and $14.99 a month subscription. its key features included:
- A 180 degree ultra-wide HD camera that could live stream a view of your truck bed
- AI powered intrusion detection with real time alerts
- 4G LTE connectivity via OBD-II port charging
- Cloud storage and integration with ADT professional monitoring services
- Compatibility with multiple makes and models
For tradespeople, contractors, and anyone regularly leaving tools or gear in their truck bed, this camera filled a very real gap in the market. There was nothing else quite like it.
Ford Acquires Canopy
In May of 2025, Ford officially acquired Canopy outright incorporating it into its new “Ford Secure” ecosystem. As part of that transition the canopy pickup cam was immediately discontinued and removed from sale. The Canopy app and hardware became nonoperational as of September 2025. All existing subscribers were offered full refunds on their hardware and Ford began developing what it called the next iteration of the pickup cam.
Ford’s Replacement: The Ford Truck Bed Camera (M-1650-SC)
in November 2025, Ford released its replacement for the original Canopy calling it the Ford Truck Bed Camera (part number M-1650-SC) with an intial price tag of $499 which they have now lowered to $249.00. They integrated it into the FordPass app, and it requires an active Ford Security Package subscription, which is included free for one year with select new vehicles and costs $7.99 a month once the free trial expires.
From what we can find the big catch here is that the Ford Truck Bed Camera is currently only compatible with 2024 and newer Ford F-150 and Super Duty trucks (excluding the F-150 Lighting, F-650, and F-750). This means it will not work on any other make or model of truck. It won’t even work on older Ford trucks which is a real bummer for loyal Ford customers who may have restored the now popular 90’s square body trucks.
The Best Alternative for Everyone Else: Arlo Go 2
If you don’t own a 2024 or newer Ford F150, or if you want a more flexible solution then the Arlo Go 2 is probably the best option currently on the market for DIY truck bed monitoring even though it wasn’t specifically designed for this use case.
Here is why it works for this.
Why the Arlo Go 2 Works as a Truck Bed Camera
The biggest challenge with truck bed security is connectivity. You truck isn’t always parked at home with a stable Wi-Fi connection. Its usually at a job site, a parking lot, a trailhead or a rest stop. Most security cameras become useless the moment they lose Wi-Fi, but the Arlo Go 2 has a unique way of dealing with this problem.
It uses 4G LTE. The camera connects to cellular networks like Verizon, T-Mobile etc. So as long as there is cell coverage where your truck is parked the Arlo Go 2 stays live and connected. And for those times when you are near Wi-Fi it can connect to that instead to save data on your cellular plan.
This single feature is what makes this camera uniquely suited to act as your truck bed security monitoring system.
How to set it up for Truck Bed Monitoring
The Arlo Go 2 isn’t designed for in truck use straight out of the box, but setting it up for a truck bed is straightforward:
- Mount it at the rear of your truck cab, angled down into the bed. The rear window area of the top of the cab or both effective positions.
- Insert your SIM card and activate a cellular data plan with your preferred carrier. Expect to use around 1 or 2 GB of data per month depending on how often the motion detection triggers.
- Pair with an option Arlo Solar panel. This can be a good upgrade that saves you from having to regularly check and recharge the battery. The solar panel will help keep the battery topped up whenever the truck is parked outdoors.
- Configure Motion Sensitivity in the Arlo Secure App to reduce false alerts from passing traffic while catching anyone reaching into the bed.
What the Arlo Go 2 Does Well for This Use Case
Portable monitoring regardless of location. Unlike any wifi only camera, the Arlo Go 2 works at job sites campgrounds, fairgrounds, remote work sites and basically anywhere with cell service. You’re not limited to monitoring your truck only when it’s at home.
Truly wire free. No need to tap into the OBD-II port or run cables through your cab. The Arlo Go 2 runs entirely on its own battery (or solar), making installation and removal easy.
GPS tracking. If someone steals the camera along with your gear, the built in GPS can help you locate it, or at least give law enforcement a last known location.
Works on any truck, any year, any brand. Ram 2500, Silverado 1500, Tacoma, Tundra, Titan, Colorado, it doesn’t matter. The Arlo Go 2 is entirely vehicle agnostic.
Local storage option. If you would rather not pay for cloud storage, inserting a micoSD card gives you local recording without a subscription. This is a meaningful advantage if you don’t want to deal with paying monthly cloud storage fees.
The Trade Offs
The Arlo Go 2 was never engineered specifically for truck beds and it shows in a few places.
first the Arlo camera has a narrower 130 degree field of view compared to the wider 180 degree field of view of the Ford camera, so you might not see the full width of a wide truck bed from a single mounting point.
You need a cellular date plan. you have to budge for a date plan on top of the hardware price although given the price difference between the Arlo and Ford camera this isnt that big of a deal. But it is something to keep in mind as it will add to the lifetime operating cost.
There is no OBD-II integration. Unlike the Canopy/Ford solution, the Arlo can’t tell the difference between when your truck is running and when its parked. So, you will likely need to turn it off manually when driving to avoid getting a lot of false motion alerts.
Mounting will require some creativity. You will need to get or make an appropriate mount or bracket to get the camera aimed correctly in your cab or bed area.
None of these are deal breakers in my opinion, but they are worth considering before you purchase.
Who should get what
Get the Ford Truck Bed Camera if:
- You own a 2024 or newer F150 or Super Duty
- You are already enrolled in the Ford Security Package ecosystem
- You want the deepest vehicle integration (start inhibit, theft recovery hotline, insurance deductible reimbursement)
- You have an open truck bed or soft tonneau cover (not a hard cap or canopy)
Get the Arlo Go 2 if:
- You drive anything other than a qualifying 2024 or newer Ford truck
- You want a solution that travels with you across different vehicles
- you need coverage at locations away from home wifi
- you want the flexibility of local microSD storage without mandatory cloud subscription.
- you want to avoid being locked into a single OEM’s subscription system.
The Bottom Line
The truck bed security camera market is still surprisingly thin. Canopy was the only product build specifically for this purpose, and its acquisition by Ford has effectively removed it from the market entirely. The new Ford Truck Bed Camera is a solid option but only if you happen to own a compatible Ford Truck.
For everyone else the Arlo Go 2 remains the best available solution at this time. It wasn’t designed specifically for this purpose, but its 4G LTE capability, wire free design, weather resistance and GPS make it a good fit. Pair it with an Arlo solar panel and basic cellular data plan and you have a capable, always on monitoring solution that works whether your truck is sitting in your driveway or 300 miles away on a job site.
Truck bed theft is a real problem, power tools, hunting gear, construction materials and recreational equipment all make truck beds easy targets for thieves. The technology for that cargo does exist, it just takes knowing where to look and a little creativity.