The Fifteenth Court of Appeals leaves Bot Auto free to keep building driverless trucks while TuSimple's successor sues it over trade secrets
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals affirmed a Business Court ruling in Harris County that denied CreateAI Holdings a temporary injunction against Bot Auto TX. CreateAI was TuSimple, founded to build driverless 18-wheelers, and it changed its name in December 2024. It sued under the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act, saying Bot Auto misappropriated its autonomous vehicle technology. Bot Auto was started by TuSimple's fired co-founder and chief executive and is still developing autonomous trucking. The court found CreateAI unlikely to suffer an injury that money damages can't cover, because it no longer runs autonomous trucking in the United States. It has turned to AI entertainment for Asian markets. The court decided only the injunction, on what it called a preliminary record.
How to take part
The appeal is decided and the opinion is public. The case itself continues in the Business Court under cause number 24-BC11A-0007, where filings are made by the parties rather than the public.
Where
1 county. In Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands.
Timeline
- decided
Memorandum opinion affirming the denial of a temporary injunction
- Today
How this decision moved
One dated line per check, oldest first. A line that says nothing changed means somebody looked and it had not.
- 2026-10-02
Admitted on the appeals court's own opinion. The company that sued has left driverless trucking, and the court said that is why money can answer its claim.
- 2026-10-05
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals opinion still leaves Bot Auto free to keep building its driverless trucks while the trade secret case goes on.
- 2026-10-08
Bot Auto is still free to keep building its driverless trucks while the trade secret case continues.
The evidence
Every fact above rests on one of these. The words are the source's own.
Affirmed and Memorandum Opinion filed September 15, 2026CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
On Appeal from the Business Court Division 11A Harris County, Texas Trial Court Cause No. 24-BC11A-0007CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
was formerly an autonomous vehicle company that has since pivoted to AI-enhanced entertainment.CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Appellee Bot Auto is still actively engaged in the development of autonomous trucking technologyCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
At its founding in 2015, CreateAI focused on autonomous trucking, specifically to develop 18-wheelers capable of fully driverlessCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Formerly known as TuSimple Holdings, Inc., the petitioner company changed its name to CreateAI on December 11, 2024.CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
In December of 2024, it redirected its business to AI-powered digital entertainment crafted primarily for Asian markets.CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
the company fired its co-founder and CEO, Dr. Xiaodi HouCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Within the month, Dr. Hou started Bot AutoCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Further, we find that CreateAI is unlikely to suffer imminent injury that cannot be compensated by money damages because it no longer maintains U.S. autonomous trucking operations.CreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Recognizing that this case is before us solely on a preliminary recordCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
the company sued Bot Auto under the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets ActCreateAI Holdings, Inc. v. Bot Auto TX Inc., Fifteenth Court of Appeals, Memorandum Opinion Primary source, official · storage.courtlistener.com
Questions about this decision
Answered from the record itself. Every answer is assembled from stored fields, so an answer the record has no basis for is left out rather than guessed.
What is this decision?
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals affirmed a Business Court ruling in Harris County that denied CreateAI Holdings a temporary injunction against Bot Auto TX. CreateAI was TuSimple, founded to build driverless 18-wheelers, and it changed its name in December 2024. It sued under the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act, saying Bot Auto misappropriated its autonomous vehicle technology. Bot Auto was started by TuSimple's fired co-founder and chief executive and is still developing autonomous trucking. The court found CreateAI unlikely to suffer an injury that money damages can't cover, because it no longer runs autonomous trucking in the United States. It has turned to AI entertainment for Asian markets. The court decided only the injunction, on what it called a preliminary record.
Who decides it?
Fifteenth Court of Appeals decides. The record names the deciding body for every entry it carries.
Can the public take part?
The appeal is decided and the opinion is public. The case itself continues in the Business Court under cause number 24-BC11A-0007, where filings are made by the parties rather than the public.
Where in Texas does it apply?
It covers Harris County.
Has it been decided?
It has been decided. The dates on the item page carry when.
What happens next?
No future date is on the record. The last dated step on it was decided on September 15th.
When did it start?
The earliest date on its record is September 15th, 2026.
What kind of decision is it?
It is filed under state policy.
What sources back it?
One source backs it. It is primary.
Is it on the ERCOT grid?
Yes. It sits inside the ERCOT interconnection.
When was it last checked?
Every fact on it was last verified against its source on October 8th, 2026.
Cite this
Texas AI Docket, The Fifteenth Court of Appeals leaves Bot Auto free to keep building driverless trucks while TuSimple's successor sues it over trade secrets. Tracked since September 15th, 2026. Last verified October 8th, 2026. https://texasaidocket.com/item/tx-2026-0196/. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. The same entry is in the docket JSON as item tx-2026-0196.
Beat
Filed under State policy, with every other decision on that beat.