American Truck Simulator News

[p]We’re back with a brand new episode of our SCS On The Road series! Last year, we had the privilege of visiting and taking a look around Veteráni na Truc, a local Czech company specialising in importing, selling, and servicing heritage and classic cars, as well as American vehicles, in Czechia. Here, we had the opportunity to get up close to some truly iconic machines, including the legendary 1969 Dodge Charger!


The Dodge Charger is an iconic American muscle car, instantly recognisable thanks to its bold fastback design and unmistakable presence on the road. Powered by a range of legendary V8 engines, this classic car has become a symbol of raw performance, leaving a lasting mark on automotive history and popular culture alike. So, for us to have the opportunity to see one up close in our home country was something quite special! We couldn’t leave without taking the time for a walk-around of this legend and sharing it with you.[/p][p][/p][p]We’d like to extend a big thank you to the brothers Ondřej and Jiří Truc, Jan Lancinger and the fantastic team at Veteráni na Truc, for welcoming us, sharing their storiy, and allowing us to record it for you. What started as a family passion has grown into a well-known Czech specialist in classic, heritage, and American cars, with a strong focus on preserving automotive history, much of which you’ll hear about in this episode.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, there was some important work to be done too, as we also spent time capturing valuable reference material, including video footage and authentic vehicle sounds from their collection for our upcoming American Truck Simulator Road Trip DLC!
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If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to show some love to Veteráni na Truc and the amazing work they do! We highly recommend checking out their website here, and following them on social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), where they regularly share photos of their vehicles, restoration projects, and behind-the-scenes insights from their workshop. [/p][p][/p][p]We’ve got plenty of SCS On The Road episodes planned and lined up for 2026, so be sure to subscribe to our official YouTube channel so you don’t miss any upcoming releases. Thank you for your continued support, likes, and comments and we look forward to seeing you on the road again soon!

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[p]For more than a decade, the Route Advisor has been a constant companion on the road. It’s been with many of you for thousands of hours, countless deliveries, and more than a few white-knuckle parking attempts. Changing something so familiar is never a small decision, and it’s not one we took lightly.[/p][p] [/p][p]So before we talk about what changed, we want to start with the most important question:

Why did we change the Route Advisor at all? 

Over the years, the core truck driving experience has grown deeper and more detailed. Trucks gained more systems. Driving assists became more nuanced. Screens got smaller for some players, larger for others, and control methods expanded from keyboards to wheels and gamepads.

The original Route Advisor did an incredible job for a long time, but it was reaching a point where it could no longer grow without becoming cluttered, unclear, or restrictive. Adding more and more information into a single panel meant compromises: hidden states, missing feedback, and tab switching while driving.

Our goal with the new Route Advisor was not to change how you enjoy truck driving. It was to make sure the information you need while driving is:[/p]

• [p]Clear[/p]
• [p]Immediate[/p]
• [p]Unambiguous[/p]
• [p]Adaptable to how you play[/p]

[p] What you’re seeing now is the foundation of that change.

From One Panel to Many: A Widget-Based Advisor

Instead of one compact panel trying to do everything, the new Route Advisor is built from individual widgets, each with a single, clear purpose.

This shift lets us do three important things for truck drivers:[/p]

1. [p]Show more driving-critical information without crowding[/p]
2. [p]Give clear feedback on what your truck is actually doing[/p]
3. [p]Let you decide what stays on screen, and what doesn’t[/p]

[p]Each widget can be enabled or disabled independently, and you can choose whether it appears:[/p]

• [p]in the interior view[/p]
• [p]the exterior view[/p]
• [p]both[/p]
• [p]or not at all[/p]

[p]If you want a minimal, immersive screen, great. If you want more at-a-glance feedback, also great. Furthermore, F3 remains as before to switch off all UI elements with notifications still being shown.[/p][p][/p][p]Driving-Critical Information, Front and Centre

One of our biggest focuses was improving feedback while driving, especially information that previously was missing, unclear, or only available in limited views.[/p][p]What is now more visible and easier to read: [/p]

• [p]Speed[/p]
• [p]Selected gear[/p]
• [p]Fuel status[/p]
• [p]Time to rest [/p]

[p]What is now displayed for the first time:[/p]

• [p]Engine RPM[/p]
• [p]Exact time until rest is required[/p]
• [p]Time remaining to complete a delivery[/p]
• [p]Truck systems indicators[/p]

[p] [/p][p]This information is available whether you’re driving from the cabin or using an exterior camera, so you’re never guessing what your truck is doing.

Clear Feedback on Truck Systems

Modern trucks rely on many active systems, but until now, it wasn’t always obvious which ones were on, off, or partially engaged. 

The new Indicators widget provides immediate visual feedback for systems such as:[/p]

• [p]Cruise control (including its settings)[/p]
• [p]Engine brake and retarder levels[/p]
• [p]Lane assist and lane departure warning[/p]
• [p]Lights, high beams, hazards, beacons[/p]
• [p]Parking brake, trailer brake, differential lock[/p]
• [p]Wipers and air brake pressure[/p]

[p]Icons appear only when systems are active, keeping the screen clean while ensuring nothing important is hidden.[/p][p] [/p][p]A Better Way to Understand Damage

Damage feedback has also been reworked.

Previously, damage was shown mainly as percentages, but those numbers didn’t always explain what that damage actually meant. Now, instead of an abstract value, the UI shows when a system is damaged enough to start malfunctioning.

In other words:[/p]

• [p]You don’t just know that something is damaged[/p]
• [p]You know when new damage occurs, with the change clearly highlighted[/p]
• [p]You know when it will start affecting how your truck behaves[/p]

[p]This gives clearer feedback and a better sense of urgency, without unnecessary distraction.[/p][p][/p][p]Notifications That Inform Without Overwhelming

Notifications now live in a dedicated area of the screen and are colour-coded by importance: [/p]

• [p]Alerts[/p]
• [p]Warnings[/p]
• [p]Announcements[/p]

[p]Only one notification appears at a time, helping you stay informed without flooding your view. This also prevents important messages from fighting for attention in multiple places.

Automatic Parking, Refined 

Automatic parking assistance has been redesigned to be less intrusive and more optional.

Instead of repeated reminders in a distracting block of text, it now appears as a small, dedicated widget (highlighted below) that subtly communicates the option clearly, and can be disabled entirely by experienced drivers who don’t need it.[/p][p][/p][p]The Role of the Quick Info Menu

Some information has been intentionally moved away from the live driving HUD to reduce distraction:[/p]

• [p]Detailed job information[/p]
• [p]Damage percentages[/p]
• [p]Vehicle adjustments and services[/p]

[p]This information is now centralised in the Quick Info menu, alongside: [/p]

• [p]Control references[/p]
• [p]Easier access to settings[/p]
• [p]Photo mode[/p]
• [p]Widget Options [/p]
• [p]Local regulations[/p]

[p]The intent here is separation:[/p]

• [p]Driving HUD → what you need while driving[/p]
• [p]Quick Info menu → deeper context and configuration[/p]

[p][/p][p]This Is a Foundation, Not a Final Step

We want to reassure everyone that the new Route Advisor will continue to be improved.

Additional widgets, refinements, and customisation options are all possible because of this new foundation, and we intend to get this right, for everyone.

Looking Ahead

Change is always hardest at first, especially when it touches something as familiar as the Route Advisor. We understand the community’s concerns, the strong reactions, and the passion behind them. That passion about our game is exactly why we care so deeply about getting this right. Our commitment is simple: [/p]

• [p]Preserve the heart of truck driving[/p]
• [p]Improve clarity, driving awareness, and immersion[/p]
• [p]And keep making this system better with you, not without you[/p]

[p]Thank you for taking the time to read this and share your thoughts, and for continuing to travel on this incredible journey with us and the game we all love.

We’ll see you on the road.[/p]

[p]Today, we’re excited to take you behind the scenes of an ambitious project. We spoke with Davido, the DLC Lead for British Columbia, who shared insights into the scale, challenges, and inspiration behind bringing Canada to American Truck Simulator for the very first time.[/p][p][/p][p]"Hi, I’m Davido, and I’m the DLC Lead for British Columbia (BC). As a DLC Lead, I'm essentially the project's manager. This means that I primarily manage a team of 14 people who are responsible for the visual appearance of the DLC, and I have to keep track of everything that people create in the map. I have to make sure that nothing is forgotten in a given DLC, that everything meets our technical and visual standards. I spend a lot of time consulting and providing feedback not only with people in the team, but also across the entire company because a DLC is not just about visual work, but it's a combination of several things that must work both on its own and in conjunction with the rest of our game world. In addition to all this, there are also a lot of administrative matters related to the regular evaluation of people, marketing, reporting of the DLC ​​status to top management, recruiting and training new map designers, etc. I’m also still able to participate in some of the production. In BC, I would like to build the city of Kelowna."[/p][p][/p][p]For the first question, we asked Davido how extensive this DLC will be.[/p][p]"British Columbia is a really big and vast territory comparable to the area of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas combined, just to give you an idea. Anyway, a large part of the territory consists of uninhabited islands off the coast or wilderness in the North. Many cities are located mainly in the lower half of the territory and on the border with the United States. Logically, it doesn't make much sense in our game to create all of it from the South to the North to the border with Yukon, where only a few one-way roads lead to; in that case, the community would have to wait a really long time for this DLC. We're going to cover about two-thirds of the territory with major cities and roads, and that should be an amount of work roughly equivalent to 1.5 - 2 times the size of our standard US DLCs." Davido explains.[/p][p][/p][p]Since we are moving away from the USA for the first time in American Truck Simulator, we wondered what new challenges the DLC brings.[/p][p]"First of all, after a long time, we're again facing a completely different landscape and environment, where breathtaking mountains, rocks, forests, and lakes play a significant role, which is what my team and I did previously in the Montana DLC. Canada is also, of course, a new country, with its own road metric system, rules, signs, different architecture, but partly also cultural customs and language. For the first time in ATS, we're going to have border crossings. But it's already clear to us that the biggest challenge will be the mountains, rocks, and road elevation presented everywhere. These elements are not easy to create in the map; not every map designer has the talent for it, and we will have to share know-how with each other, probably also with a few people who were able to capture such landscapes perfectly in the rework of Austria and Switzerland." Davido told us.[/p][p][/p][p]To truly understand British Columbia, part of the team traveled there last year.[/p][p]"We visited British Columbia last year in July. The team included several of my senior guys who also work as specialists in vegetation, generic assets, and custom depots. Also, the person who will be creating Vancouver and the border crossings was a part of the group, and several representatives from the Asset department and people responsible for branding went with us as well. The intention was to spend 10 days there, but due to bad weather, we had to stay 1 day in London, UK, so we were forced to shorten our schedule, and unfortunately, we didn't have time left for Vancouver Island. But apart from that, we managed to visit all the places that we wanted to," he shares.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, we were curious to learn more about how a research trip like this actually works and what it involves, so we asked Davido to walk us through it.[/p][p]"After our arrival in British Columbia, we spent the first day in Vancouver, where we toured the downtown and the area around the harbour. We tried to get as close as possible to the container terminal and river port to get a better idea of ​​how big these areas are, how it works there, what can be seen there, where the trucks get in, etc. The following days, we drove into the mountains, and along the way, we stopped at several lakes and spent the night at the Whistler Olympic Village. After that, we headed towards the city of Kamloops. There are a few mines, paper mills, and other industries around that town that we wanted to document. We also got close to the border with Alberta, passing the important Summits on the way, such as Roger Pass, for example. On the way back, we took it through the Okanagan Valley, a region rich in vineyards and orchards, stretching from the city of Kelowna down to the city of Osoyoos, which lies on the border with the United States, and from there we returned to Vancouver," he explains. [/p][p][/p][p]Looking back on the trip, we asked what stayed with Davido the most and how British Columbia left its impression on him.[/p][p]"It was great to get this opportunity, and each personal visit enriches you both personally and professionally. I had the chance to see places that I would probably never see under normal circumstances. British Columbia is a truly amazing place, and at times, I was amazed by some of the scenery. There was always something to admire."[/p][p]Davido then continues.[/p][p]"If I had to say in general, Canada impressed me as a mix of American and European culture. The people are nice and helpful, and speak the same language as in the United States. They also drive big cars. You can see American trucks there, some American brands, etc. On the other hand, in many places, Canadian patriotism and pride in their own products were quite noticeable. Also, as a European, the metric system suited me much better," he says.[/p][p][/p][p]We were also curious to know what truly defines British Columbia, especially when it comes to its architecture and the overall character of the map.[/p][p]"I think that small towns, where it is often really difficult to find something that would meet our requirements for a landmark, are more typical of Canada. Only Vancouver meets the definition of a metropolis, and even there, the architecture is different from the US. In this respect, American cities are much more interesting, and their federal buildings, like city halls, post offices, banks, courts, etc., are very beautiful and recognizable buildings in every city. There are also a lot of beautiful churches in America, which we usually recreate as landmarks. It's always fun to give such places care in the game. Unfortunately, I am missing some of this a bit in Canadian cities. Also, the network of large truck stops that we're used to seeing in the US is simply not there, so it will be a bigger challenge for us to capture the right feeling. British Columbia will simply be much more about the natural scenery and interesting industry," Davido answered. [/p][p][/p][p]At the end, we asked what he was most looking forward to seeing in the finished map of British Columbia.[/p][p]"I would say everything. We are currently at a stage where we have thought up and created designs for all the roads and cities, and I can already say that players will have a lot to look at all the time. Personally, I'm looking forward to Vancouver and its surroundings. It's a truly significant and beautiful city that we want to take care of. I'm also looking forward to the capital, Victoria, which we were not able to visit in person, but it's also one of the beautiful, architectural cities, and I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to see it at least in the game. And of course, all the mountains, peaks, rivers, and lakes that we can offer to players," he shares with us.[/p][p][/p][p]Davido and all of us here at SCS truly believe that you, our #BestCommunityEver, will fall in love with British Columbia. Opening the gates to Canada is a major milestone for American Truck Simulator. As you’ve read, bringing an entirely new country, landscape, and atmosphere into the game requires a tremendous amount of work and dedication. But we’re confident that once you hit the road and take in those mountains, forests, cities, towns, and lakes for yourselves, you’ll agree it was absolutely worth it.[/p][p]We hope you enjoyed this peek behind the curtains of this upcoming expansion. Don't forget to add the British Columbia DLC to your Steam wishlist! Make sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter for future updates. Until next time, safe travels and happy haulin'![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]In today's episode of SCS On The Road, Petr and Oscar travel to Sweden, where they visited the Volvo Construction Equipment Customer Center and got a hands-on opportunity to test vehicles similar to those featured in our Volvo Construction Equipment DLCs for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator![/p][p][/p][p]Welcome to the city of Eskilstuna! In this episode, you'll get an exclusive look inside Volvo CE's Customer Center, where they welcome dealers and customers from around the world, showcase their impressive construction machinery, and host spectacular live events. Guided by their instructor, David Lundin, and Arvid Rinaldo from Brand Communications & Sponsorships, Petr and Oscar had the incredible opportunity to operate several machines from Volvo CE's lineup, including the L260 wheel loader, the A60 6x6 articulated hauler, and more.[/p][p] We would like to extend a huge thank you to Volvo Construction Equipment for inviting us and making this episode possible, as well as to Arvid and David, who helped us get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive these massive machines. Now, without further ado, let's have a watch![/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]We hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, make sure to follow Volvo CE on their Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.[/p][p]And if you would like to transport these machines in our games, you can check out the Volvo Construction Equipment DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 here, and for American Truck Simulator here.[/p][p]Also, make sure to stay connected with all the latest news and upcoming episodes by following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube, or by subscribing to our newsletter. See you on the road![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Some vehicles are more than just a means of transportation; they are icons that have left a lasting mark on automotive history. Today, we’d like to share a closer look at one such legend, the Ford Crown Victoria, which will be part of our upcoming Road Trip project for American Truck Simulator.[/p][p][/p][p]As part of our preparations for Road Trip, we reached out to our community to ask if anyone owns vehicles that will be featured in the project, allowing us to capture authentic reference material and record real-world sounds. Marcel, a member of our community from Germany, contacted us and generously offered to let us come and check out his vehicle in person.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Marcel is the proud owner of a Ford Crown Victoria P71 Police Interceptor, an ex-supervisor police car that still carries many of the unmistakable details that made this model so memorable. For decades, the Crown Victoria defined what a police car looked like, while also being equally recognizable as the classic yellow taxi seen on city streets. Its unmistakable silhouette and presence made it a familiar sight not only in everyday life but also in countless movies and TV shows.[/p][p]Thanks to Marcel’s help and enthusiasm, we were also able to record sounds, capturing the unique audio character of the Crown Victoria, which will play an important role as we continue work on the Road Trip project.[/p][p]The Ford Crown Victoria will be included as part of the Ford Car Pack, bringing this iconic vehicle to the roads of American Truck Simulator and allowing players to experience a true classic on their journeys. We’d like to extend a big thank you to Marcel for reaching out to us and making this walk-around and sound recording session possible. The support and passion from our #BestCommunityEver is invaluable and helps us bring even more authenticity to our projects.[/p][p]Be sure to stay tuned for more of the latest Road Trip developments by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram. Don't forget to also add the Ford Car Pack for American Truck Simulator to your Steam Wishlist! Until next time, safe travels![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]