Isaac Instruments leaders say simplicity, automation, and data intelligence will shape the next phase of trucking technology.
Jacques DeLarochellière, CEO and co-founder, believes predictive workflows and real-time driver coaching are helping fleets improve compliance and efficiency by automating routine tasks and guiding operators toward safer, more fuel-efficient driving.
The technology, he said, demonstrates that coaching drivers to save fuel also results in fewer accidents and reduced insurance costs.
JS Bouchard, chief product officer and co-founder, said artificial intelligence (AI) is charting the way forward and the company has created an AI development team to support customers.
Through the company’s AI Lab, developers test and refine features before releasing them broadly, ensuring automation delivers practical insights rather than overwhelming users with data. The system filters camera and telematics information, identifies meaningful patterns, and ranks behaviors by risk so fleets can focus on drivers or vehicles needing the most attention.
AI-driven safety scoring
DeLarochellière said advances in processing power and AI now make it possible to isolate thousands of variables such as route, weather, or driver habits to pinpoint inefficiencies with precision that was impossible a few years ago. The goal, he added, is to automate as much as possible while keeping the experience straightforward for drivers and fleet managers alike.
Bouchard said AI-driven safety scoring will help fleets and insurers better assess risk. Insurers are already showing interest in using telematics data to price premiums and reward safer operations, a trend he expects to accelerate over the next five years.
Isaac’s integration with learning management systems allows fleets to use behavioral data to identify drivers who need retraining and automatically assign lessons based on performance trends.
Actionable information
As trucks become more software-defined, Isaac’s leaders agreed the challenge is no longer collecting data but turning it into clear, actionable information. Isaac’s focus remains on solving industry-wide problems. The company’s strength, Bouchard added, lies in finding simple solutions to complex challenges.
At the company’s annual user conference in Charlotte, N.C., DeLarochellière urged fleets in a keynote address to focus on partnerships and resilience as they face one of the toughest business climates in decades. Operating ratios remain high and margins tight, but he noted trucking has always been cyclical. The challenge, he said, is to stay resilient until the market improves.
The four legs of a stable tech platform
He outlined what he called the four legs of a stable technology platform – execution, innovation, cybersecurity, and financial health.
The CEO compared rebuilding Isaac’s software architecture to replacing a bridge without stopping traffic. The overhaul briefly slowed the company’s pace of releases but laid the groundwork for faster development in the years ahead. He also urged fleets to use tools such as the Client Center portal and Isaac Coach, which he said have helped carriers improve driver performance and achieve measurable fuel savings.
On cybersecurity, DeLarochellière said Isaac voluntarily pursued ISO 27001 certification, one of the industry’s most stringent data-protection standards, even though the sector remains largely unregulated in that area. He cautioned fleets to scrutinize technology vendors that assemble uncertified software components, likening them to fast food meals made of unverified ingredients.
Bouchard showcased the company’s AI-powered Isaac InView camera, which analyzes the severity of driving events based on conditions such as load weight, environment, and driver alertness. The goal, he said, is not simply to record footage but to interpret behaviors and identify risk patterns.
The AI Lab is also testing fuel analytics capable of flagging potential theft or card fraud by comparing fueling data with actual tank readings.
Isaac is also partnering with Daimler Truck North America to integrate its platform directly into Freightliner vehicles, simplifying installation and enhancing the driver experience.
Innovations
Bouchard provided an overview of Isaac’s 2025 innovations, organized around simplifying drivers’ work, maximizing uptime, controlling costs, and ensuring compliance.
Updates include a redesigned driver interface with clearer graphics and multiple clock displays, new Android integrations that connect third-party apps directly to the driver workflow and improved polygonal geofencing that uses Trimble-verified maps for drivers to find the truck entrance instead of the car parking lot at an address.
Simplifying the job
A new positive trailer ID feature links Isaac gateways with trailer-tracking devices to alert drivers if they hook up to the wrong trailer. Conditional form fields in the workflow now prompt for extra details or photos when shipments are damaged, reducing administrative errors.
For cost control, Bouchard highlighted a new reporting engine that lets fleets analyze events and activities within the web portal, create charts and dashboards, and share insights across departments.
He said the goal is to give fleets the data they need to make faster, better decisions. Bouchard also pointed to rising legal costs in the U.S. as a reminder to exceed minimum compliance standards, noting that Isaac’s safety analytics help fleets demonstrate proactive risk management.
