Xiaodi Hou was largely portrayed as a megalomaniacal villain during TuSimple's fall from autonomous trucking leadership into obscurity. The decline accelerated after he took the helm of the company he co-founded in September 2015. Ultimately, a dramatic boardroom showdown, fit for television, led to his removal.

However, according to Hou's account, that's not the complete narrative. Now, as he embarks on launching another driverless trucking startup, Hou conveys a blend of victimhood, remorse, and regret.

Bot Auto's Distinctive Autonomous Trucking Strategy

With a $20 million pre-Series A investment, Bot Auto recently emerged from stealth, positioning itself as an AI-powered autonomous trucking transportation service. This approach diverges from the prevalent business model where companies acquire fleets of trucks and integrate autonomous software and hardware themselves.

Initially, Bot is piloting a single truck equipped with an end-to-end AI software solution, operating from its Houston base to San Antonio, a distance of approximately 200 miles. Hou recognizes the significant potential of long-haul autonomous trucking, anticipating the eventual elimination of drivers and many associated operating costs.

He estimates that Bot could achieve driver-out operations with a fleet of fewer than 10 trucks. A mixed commercial operation, incorporating both driverless and human-driven trucks, could reach profitability with less than 100 trucks, he stated. "The value of the product would be the driver’s cost minus the operating cost, minus...