TuSimple

TuSimple was founded in September 2015 by Mo Chen and Dr Xiaodi Hou, who graduated from the California Institute of Technology.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-10 |title=TuSimple - ABOUT US |url=http://www.tusimple.com/about-en.html |access-date=2023-04-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210052447/http://www.tusimple.com/about-en.html |archive-date=2018-12-10 }} The company initially operated in two facilities: one in Beijing, China and one in San Diego, California.

• Minority share purchase and testing of TuSimple trucks announced by UPS in August 2019 {{Cite news |date=2019-08-15 |title=UPS buys stake in TuSimple, testing self-driving trucks in Arizona |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ups-tusimple-investment-idUSKCN1V51EU |access-date=2023-04-11 |archive-date=2023-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408190505/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ups-tusimple-investment-idUSKCN1V51EU |url-status=live }}

• Development of sensors for autonomous vehicles systems with automotive supplier ZF in early 2020.{{Cite web |last=Korosec |first=Kirsten |date=2020-03-26 |title=TuSimple partners with supplier ZF to mass produce self-driving truck tech |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/26/tusimple-partners-with-supplier-zf-to-mass-produce-self-driving-truck-tech/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410222631/https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/26/tusimple-partners-with-supplier-zf-to-mass-produce-self-driving-truck-tech/ |url-status=live }}

• Plans to integrate self-driving technology into the trucks manufactured by Navistar International Corp. in July 2020, with sales of such trucks targeted by 2025.{{Cite news |last=Somerville |first=Heather |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} TuSimple Plans Layoffs That Could Cut at Least Half Its Workforce Next Week |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-plans-layoffs-that-could-cut-at-least-half-its-workforce-next-week-11671245596 |access-date=2023-04-11 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=17 December 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331002244/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-plans-layoffs-that-could-cut-at-least-half-its-workforce-next-week-11671245596 |url-status=live }} The partnership was mutually dissolved in December 2022.

• Agreement with Traton Group, a commercial truck manufacturer based in Germany, in September 2020 to jointly develop trucks with autonomous technology.{{Cite news |last=Prang |first=Allison |title=Volkswagen Trucking Business Invests in Self-Driving Truck Developer TuSimple |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-trucking-business-invests-in-self-driving-truck-developer-tusimple-11600844460 |access-date=2023-04-11 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=23 September 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331002239/https://www.wsj.com/articles/volkswagen-trucking-business-invests-in-self-driving-truck-developer-tusimple-11600844460 |url-status=live }} Traton Group aimed to begin testing heavy duty autonomous vehicles in Germany and Sweden, but they did not provide a timeline for this goal.

• September 2020 launch of the autonomous freight network (AFN), with partners UPS, carrier U.S. Xpress, Penske Truck Leasing and McLane, the grocery and food service supply chain of Berkshire Hathaway.{{Cite news |last=Korosec |first=Kirsten |title=TuSimple kicks off plan for a nationwide self-driving truck network with partners UPS, Xpress and McLane |url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/01/tusimple-kicks-off-plan-for-a-nationwide-self-driving-truck-network-with-partners-ups-xpress-and-mclane/ |access-date=September 1, 2023 |newspaper=TechCrunch |date=July 1, 2020 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027193544/https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/01/tusimple-kicks-off-plan-for-a-nationwide-self-driving-truck-network-with-partners-ups-xpress-and-mclane/ |url-status=live }}

• Use of Nvidia's Drive Orin system on a chip announced in January 2022 at the Consumer Electronic Show.{{Cite news |last=Bellan |first=Rebecca |title=TuSimple integrates Nvidia's newest auto-grade chip to scale autonomous trucking |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/04/tusimple-integrates-nvidias-newest-auto-grade-chip-to-scale-autonomous-trucking/ |access-date=September 1, 2023 |newspaper=TechCrunch |date=January 4, 2022 |language=en-US |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027193545/https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/04/tusimple-integrates-nvidias-newest-auto-grade-chip-to-scale-autonomous-trucking/ |url-status=live }}

In late 2019, a study conducted by the University of California San Diego found that TuSimple's automation reduced the fuel consumption of trucks by 10-20%, with larger reductions in areas with more traffic.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Linda |date=2019-12-18 |title=Study finds TuSimple trucks at least 10% more fuel efficient than traditional trucks |url=https://www.freightwaves.com/news/study-finds-tusimple-trucks-10-more-efficient |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=FreightWaves |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331003807/https://www.freightwaves.com/news/study-finds-tusimple-trucks-10-more-efficient |url-status=live }}

In December 2021, TuSimple announced that it had completed the world's first robotic semi test on a public road, an 80-mile run from Tucson to Phoenix.{{Cite web |last=Ohnsman |first=Alan |title=TuSimple Claims Autonomous Trucking's First 'Driver Out' Highway Run |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/12/29/tusimple-claims-autonomous-truckings-first-driver-out-highway-run/ |date=December 29, 2021 |access-date=August 2, 2023 |website=Forbes |language=en-US |archive-date=October 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231027193544/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2021/12/29/tusimple-claims-autonomous-truckings-first-driver-out-highway-run/ |url-status=live }} The company said it had completed 550 miles of autonomous operation in that route by early 2022 and claimed its trucks to be first "fully driverless heavy-duty trucks" since, unlike competitors, they did not have any local or remote human safety drivers.{{Cite news |last=Bellon |first=Tina |date=2022-02-02 |title=TuSimple says it has completed 550 miles of fully driverless trucking, plans Texas expansion |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-says-it-has-completed-550-miles-fully-driverless-trucking-plans-texas-2022-02-02/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |archive-date=2023-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316210212/https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-says-it-has-completed-550-miles-fully-driverless-trucking-plans-texas-2022-02-02/ |url-status=live }}

On May 26, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation of an April 6, 2022 accident in which one of the company's autonomous trucks crashed into a concrete barrier while on Interstate 10 near Tucson. Company officials blamed the accident on "human error," but former employees and experts in the field of autonomous vehicles suggest that there were issues with the company's technology. The investigation was closed in March 2023 and did not result in penalties.{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Alan |date=2023-03-02 |title=Feds close probe into TuSimple autonomous truck crash |url=https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-close-probe-into-tusimple-autonomous-truck-crash |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=FreightWaves |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331002248/https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-close-probe-into-tusimple-autonomous-truck-crash |url-status=live }} The company issued a statement that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declined to open a separate probe.

The company also announced that it planned to expand autonomous freight services to Texas by the end of 2023.

In March 2023, it was reported that the company had completed 10 million combined testing, research, and freight delivery miles.{{Cite web |last=Saines |first=Maddie |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Autonomous trucks begin testing on Japanese expressway |url=https://www.gpsworld.com/autonomous-trucks-begin-testing-on-japanese-expressway/ |access-date=August 2, 2023 |website=GPS World |language=en-US |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619171220/https://www.gpsworld.com/autonomous-trucks-begin-testing-on-japanese-expressway/ |url-status=live }} In June 2023, TuSimple announced that it had completed a series of fully autonomous semi-truck runs on public roads in China.{{Cite web |last=Bellan |first=Rebecca |date=June 19, 2023 |title=TuSimple tests removing human driver from self-driving truck in China |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/19/tusimple-tests-removing-human-driver-from-self-driving-truck-in-china/ |access-date=August 2, 2023 |website=Techcrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=July 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727222100/https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/19/tusimple-tests-removing-human-driver-from-self-driving-truck-in-china/ |url-status=live }} Also in June, the company announced it had completed self-driving truck tests in Japan, on Tōmei Expressway.

{{redirect|Hydron (company)|other companies of that name|Hydron (disambiguation)}}

In October 2022, the company's CEO, Chief Technology Officer, and co-founder, Xiaodi Hou, was fired by the company's board, which cited a "loss in trust and confidence" in Hou's judgment in connection with an alleged sharing of confidential data, blueprints, and employee information with a Chinese company, Hydron Inc.{{Cite news |first1=Heather |last1=Somerville |first2=Kate |last2=O'Keeffe |date=31 October 2022 |title=TuSimple Fires CEO Xiaodi Hou Amid Federal Probes |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-fires-its-ceo-xiaodi-hou-11667228409 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512005804/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-fires-its-ceo-xiaodi-hou-11667228409 |archive-date=2023-05-12 |access-date=2023-04-07 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Rosevear |first=John |date=31 October 2022 |title=Self-driving truck startup TuSimple fires its CEO over improper ties to a Chinese firm |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/31/tusimple-tsp-ceo-leaves-amid-investigation-into-dealings-with-hydron.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125205505/https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/31/tusimple-tsp-ceo-leaves-amid-investigation-into-dealings-with-hydron.html |archive-date=2023-01-25 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=CNBC |language=en}}{{Cite news |first1=Kate |last1=O’Keeffe |first2=Aruna |last2=Viswanatha |first3=Heather |last3=Somerville |date=February 2023 |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} Leaders of Self-Driving-Truck Company Face Espionage Concerns Over China Ties |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/leaders-of-self-driving-truck-company-face-espionage-concerns-over-china-ties-11675255921 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316200322/https://www.wsj.com/articles/leaders-of-self-driving-truck-company-face-espionage-concerns-over-china-ties-11675255921 |archive-date=2023-03-16 |access-date=2023-04-07 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}} Hydron Inc. is a hydrogen truck startup founded by Mo Chen, the other founder of TuSimple{{Cite web |last=Ohnsman |first=Alan |title=Robot Truck Developer TuSimple Ousts CEO After Report Of Ties To Chinese Startup |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2022/10/31/robot-truck-developer-tusimple-ousts-ceo-after-report-of-ties-to-chinese-startup/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207125953/https://www.forbes.com/sites/alanohnsman/2022/10/31/robot-truck-developer-tusimple-ousts-ceo-after-report-of-ties-to-chinese-startup/ |archive-date=2022-12-07 |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Forbes |language=en}} and backed by Sina.{{cite news |last1=Somerville |first1=Heather |title=Exclusive {{!}} The Self-Driving Truck Startup That Siphoned Trade Secrets to Chinese Companies |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/china-self-driving-trucks-tusimple-c20255e1 |access-date=3 June 2025 |work=WSJ |date=27 May 2025 |quote="Chen founded another startup in China called Hydron that said it had plans to build hydrogen-powered trucks for TuSimple. Hydron, also funded by tens of millions from Sina, according to people familiar with the matter,"}} Hou responded to his ouster by stating that he would be "vindicated."

As of late 2022, TuSimple and its leadership were under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) on suspicions of illicit technology transfer to Hydron in China.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=10 November 2022 |title=TuSimple Co-Founder Ousts Board That Fired Him Last Month |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-co-founder-ousts-board-that-fired-him-last-month-11668140175 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111042452/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tusimple-co-founder-ousts-board-that-fired-him-last-month-11668140175 |archive-date=2022-11-11 |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Babu |first=Juby |date=2022-10-30 |title=TuSimple probed by FBI, SEC over ties to Chinese startup, the Wall Street Journal reports |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-probed-by-fbi-sec-over-ties-chinese-startup-wsj-2022-10-30/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119131529/https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-probed-by-fbi-sec-over-ties-chinese-startup-wsj-2022-10-30/ |archive-date=2022-11-19 |access-date=2023-04-07 |work=Reuters |language=en}} In February 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that a member of the CFIUS panel recommended that the United States Department of Justice bring criminal charges of economic espionage against the management of TuSimple. At the time, a company spokeswoman denied being aware of any allegations of economic espionage against the company.

In January 2024, the United States Department of Commerce halted TuSimple's attempt to ship Nvidia processors to a newly-formed subsidiary in Australia. A May 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that TuSimple continued to share its data with Chinese partners after signing a national-security agreement with the U.S. government in 2022 aimed at preventing the sharing of intellectual property. The data shared includes technical instructions for server dimensions, brake designs, sensors, steering, power supply and chips - more or less the full design of an American-made autonomous driving system.{{cite news |last=Somerville |first=Heather |date=May 27, 2025 |access-date=July 2, 2025|title=The Self-Driving Truck Startup That Siphoned Trade Secrets to Chinese Companies |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/china-self-driving-trucks-tusimple-c20255e1 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}

Founded with money from Charles Chao of Sina, the company later raised funding from Volkswagen, United Parcel Service, and U.S. Xpress Enterprises. In April 2021, the company raised over US$1 billion in an initial public offering, leading to a valuation of almost $8.5 billion.{{Cite news |date=2021-04-15 |title=TuSimple raises over $1 billion in U.S. IPO at nearly $8.5 billion valuation |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tusimple-ipo-idUSKBN2C21A7 |access-date=2023-04-11 |archive-date=2023-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304014711/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tusimple-ipo-idUSKBN2C21A7 |url-status=live }} The company was reportedly the first autonomous trucking company to go public on the NASDAQ composite index.

In the first half of 2022, TuSimple reported $220.5 million in losses and $4.9 million in revenue.

In December 2022, TuSimple announced a restructuring to focus more sharply on commercializing its newest technologies.{{Cite news |date=December 22, 2022 |title=TuSimple to cut 25% of workforce |language=en |work=Fleet Owner |url=https://www.fleetowner.com/news/article/21256856/tusimple-to-cut-25-of-workforce |access-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222144930/https://www.fleetowner.com/news/article/21256856/tusimple-to-cut-25-of-workforce |url-status=live }} As a result, TuSimple dismissed around a quarter of its workforce, amounting to at least 350 employees.{{Cite news |last=Nishant |first=Niket |date=2022-12-21 |title=TuSimple to lay off 25% of workforce |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-lay-off-25-workforce-2022-12-21/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |archive-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409171955/https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tusimple-lay-off-25-workforce-2022-12-21/ |url-status=live }} TuSimple representatives estimated that the downsizing would cost them between $10 and $11 million.

TuSimple's stock also reported a 75% decrease from October 2022 and a 96% drop from their 2021 initial public offering price.

In December 2023, the company announced that it would be winding down its U.S. operations and moving its business to China. With a valuation of $229 million, the company is looking for a buyer.

In January 2024, TuSimple announced it was delisting from the NASDAQ. Facing shareholder lawsuits, a US federal judge issued an order restraining TuSimple from sharing trade secrets outside of the US in order to protect shareholder asset claims.{{Cite news |date=January 30, 2024 |title=Missing Boxes, an Email From China: How a Chip Shipment Sparked a U.S. Probe |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/tusimple-china-company-chip-shipment-investigation-13e362be |url-access=subscription |access-date=February 1, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |archive-date=February 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201041617/https://www.wsj.com/tech/tusimple-china-company-chip-shipment-investigation-13e362be |url-status=live }} TuSimple subsequently suspended its operations in China.

Cheng Lu served as TuSimple's CEO from September 2020 to March 2022 before he was ousted by Xiaodi Hou.{{Cite web |last=Bellan |first=Rebecca |date=2023-03-15 |title=TuSimple co-founder blames exit on CEO pay and autonomy downgrade |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/14/tusimple-co-founder-blames-exit-on-ceo-pay-and-autonomy-downgrade/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407032623/https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/14/tusimple-co-founder-blames-exit-on-ceo-pay-and-autonomy-downgrade/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2022, Hou was fired as CEO after an internal investigation about technology transfer to Hydron. Ersin Yumer, TuSimple's Chief Operations Officer, was named interim CEO. Co-founders Chen and Hou fired TuSimple's board of directors in response and reappointed Cheng Lu as CEO.

In March 2023, Hou resigned from TuSimple's board, stating a disagreement with his planned compensation and the company's shift in focus from level 4 to level 2 autonomy. Cheng Lu countered that TuSimple was still working toward level 4 autonomy and accused Hou of poaching employees.

TuSimple uses a combination of LiDAR, radar, and HD cameras to detect vehicles and obstacles up to 1,000 meters away.{{Cite journal |last=Ackerman |first=Evan |date=2021-01-01 |title=Robot Trucks Overtake Robot Cars: This year, trucks will drive themselves on public roads with no one on board |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9311454 |journal=IEEE Spectrum |volume=58 |issue=1 |pages=42–43 |doi=10.1109/MSPEC.2021.9311454 |s2cid=230511577 |issn=1939-9340 |access-date=2023-06-11 |archive-date=2023-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730140723/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9311454/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }} Each truck consists of a computer that is connected to the TuSimple servers.{{Cite magazine |last=Francesca_Cristiani |date=2019-04-16 |title=Big Rig, No Driver: How TuSimple Uses AI to Train Self-Driving Semis |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2019/04/big-rig-no-driver-tusimple-uses-ai-train-self-driving-semis/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=2024-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203034730/https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2019/04/big-rig-no-driver-tusimple-uses-ai-train-self-driving-semis/ |url-status=live }} Each of these servers, which are used to identify cars on the road and their speeds, contains as many as 100 A.I. models. The models receive data from the cameras’ LiDAR and radar equipment and use it to build a live 3D model of the road.

In April 2023, the company announced a proprietary central computer unit called the TuSimple Domain Controller (TDC), designed to act as an autonomous truck's central computer, managing sensor inputs, vehicle control and autonomous driving software.{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Jason |date=April 14, 2023 |title=TuSimple highlights autonomous driving technology to enable ADAS, L4 autonomous trucks |language=en-US |magazine=Fleet Equipment |url=https://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/tusimple-autonomous-driving-technology/ |access-date=August 2, 2023 |archive-date=September 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925070153/https://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/tusimple-autonomous-driving-technology/ |url-status=live }} The TDC reportedly incorporated American technology company Nvidia's DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip (SoC).

The company also operates the Autonomous Freight Network (AFN) that links four components: TuSimple's self-driving trucks, digital mapped routes, freight terminals and a system for monitoring autonomous trucks tracking shipments in real-time.

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