American Truck Simulator News

It's time to hit the road and explore what can be found in Iowa's road network! In this blog, we're excited to share with you some of the interstates, junctions, bridges, and more we've been recreating virtually for our upcoming Iowa DLC for American Truck Simulator. Let's get truckin'!


First stop, near Iowa City, drivers will encounter the recently constructed interstate 80 interchange, a significant infrastructure project completed in 2024. This modern junction features innovative design elements, including distinctive bridges and pillars, that enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal. It features colourful vegetation, improved traffic flow for exit 242, and a uniquely designed matching road and pedestrian bridge.


Given that many Iowan cities are situated near rivers, bridges play a pivotal role in the state's road network. Our team has recreated many of the unique bridges large and small found across Iowa, quite a few of which are illuminated in various colours at night. One such bridge is the Women of Achievement Bridge in Des Moines. This elegantly designed pedestrian bridge spans the Des Moines River, honouring notable women from Iowa's history.


Drivers will also be able to cross the Centennial Bridge in Davenport, which spans the Mississippi River and is renowned for its distinctive arches and nighttime lighting. One unique and famous bridge we could not miss is the wooden Madison Bridge, which was famously featured in The Bridges of Madison County, a well-known American romantic drama movie.


We already covered some of the truck stops in Iowa where you can refuel and rest, which you can read about here. However, one rest stop that drivers are big fans of is located on I-80 westbound near Adair! Best known for its towering wind turbine blade sculpture, standing approximately 148 feet tall, it serves as a tribute to Iowa's leadership in wind energy production. Be sure to check it out on your travels!


The state of Iowa continues to grow, so as you drive across the state, you'll be sure to find plenty of construction along the way too! Be sure to check out your Job Market for any contracts that will help deliver needed equipment or machinery to these construction sites.


We hope you enjoyed hittin' the road with us and checking out some of the landmarks, interstates, junctions, rest stops, and more you'll come across in Iowa. But there's still more to come, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog for future updates! Until then, if you like what you see, add the Iowa DLC to your Steam Wishlist. Until next time, keep on truckin'!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3025440/American_Truck_Simulator__Iowa/

We are excited to share with our community that the 1.54 update for American Truck Simulator is now officially released! This update features implementations, fixes, quality of life improvements and more. Let's dive in and take a look at what's in store.


Before that, we have to give a huge shoutout to everyone who participated in the Open Beta phase, shared feedback, and reported bugs. Your invaluable contributions have allowed us to fine-tune content and eliminate bugs that slipped through the cracks initially. We hope that you will enjoy the new features, changes, and more that come with this update.

[h3]Cargo System Redefined[/h3]

Until now, what seemed like the game combining a trailer with cargo, such as a piece of machinery, was actually a manually created model, with each trailer-cargo pair stored separately on disk. This approach required an enormous number of unique models, making it harder to add new content efficiently and taking up disk space.


In the redefined cargo system, the code automatically merges cargo and trailers based on simplified rules. This means that each cargo will define its own model, loading methodology, and lashing method. This will make the work of our vehicle team much easier as it no longer requires our 3D artists to manually create pre-baked trailer-cargo pairs.


While there may be issues in the first iteration, it's a worthwhile goal to refine the system, as it not only improves efficiency but also saves disk space and memory by eliminating the need to store countless pre-made combinations. This project may also lead to other possibilities for both of our games, especially with dynamic cargo (un)loading and more. You can read about how this project was executed in our recent Under the Hood blog.

[h3]Truck Adjustment Menu Redesign[/h3]

The Truck Adjustment Menu has been completely redesigned to provide a more user-friendly experience. Previously, each option for adjusting your driver's FOV, seat, mirrors etc had separate menus with different layouts. Now, they share a cohesive interface, making adjustments much more intuitive and easier. The new design also takes on a similar design from our previous UI overhaul and is optimized for both mouse and controller, ensuring accessibility for all users.


For keyboard and mouse users, adjustments are now more streamlined with the use of the WASD keys for navigation, along with buttons for finer tuning. Meanwhile, controller users will find the new system much smoother, with the left stick controlling adjustments, the right stick handling camera movement for mirror positioning, and the D-pad or shoulder buttons navigating the menu.

The addition of shoulder button support makes menu navigation more fluid for controller players. This update makes adjusting mirrors and seats much easier, particularly for those using controllers, ensuring a more seamless and enjoyable driving experience. Accessing the Truck Adjustment Menu remains the same. You can use the F4 by default, a custom assigned key of your choice, or through the adviser services menu.


We hope you enjoy this redesign, and that you find it easy to use and navigate through whilst you are out hauling on the road!

[h3]PhysX System Implementation[/h3]

In 1.54, we are adopting the NVIDIA PhysX physics engine as an alternative to the current Bullet physics engine for low-level simulation of physics in the game world that players interact with. This shift allows players to experience more precise collision detection results and more robust behaviour during scenarios involving collisions between vehicles and obstacles or other vehicles. PhysX also offers our teams better debugging tools, which indirectly benefits players by helping resolve bugs more efficiently.

One of the most noticeable improvements brought by PhysX can already be experienced in our recently introduced Driving Academy game mode. For example, collisions with cones and obstacles are now more accurate and objects no longer appear to "levitate" slightly above the ground after interaction, a flaw that occurred with Bullet. While players may not see drastic changes, certain interactions should exhibit slightly improved behaviour.

During the Open Beta, many players expressed concerns about hardware limitations due to recent news that 32-bit version of PhysX would no longer be supported by certain GPUs. However, the PhysX implementation we use runs entirely on the CPU, meaning players can enjoy PhysX without worrying about graphics card compatibility.

With the release of version 1.54, PhysX is now the default physics engine for all gameplay. Players who prefer the previous Bullet physics engine can switch back by using the "-bullet" command line argument in their Steam launch options.

[h3]Driving Academy Rewards[/h3]

Everyone who has already completed or will complete the entire first module of Driving Academy will receive special rewards to use inside the game on the same profile they completed the academy with - a hanging blue traffic cone cabin accessory and a customizable Driving Academy paint job for your truck. So make sure to complete your scenarios and grab your rewards, there will be more to come!



[h3]Changelog[/h3]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Cargo System Redefined
  
• Driving Academy Rewards
  

[h3]Visual[/h3]

• Truck Adjustment Menu Redesign
  
• First Launch Screen Flow Refresh
  

[h3]Vehicles[/h3]

• Lode King & Prestige Trailers Pack bug fixes
  

[h3]Other[/h3]

• PhysX Implementation
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/270880/American_Truck_Simulator/

More news from Missouri has just arrived! In today's blog, we would like to show you the new routes for Special Transport in the Show Me State along with one brand-new oversized cargo. Do you have what it takes to take on this challenge?


Only the most skilled drivers will dare to handle these massive hauls. With Special Transport coming to Missouri, our map designers prepared three routes specifically chosen to suit the huge cargo you will be able to haul there. But don't be fooled, it won't be an easy drive!


Think you have what it takes? Let's check out the cities where you'll be delivering these oversized loads to. The owners of the Special Transport DLC will be able to take on these jobs along the following routes:

• Kansas City to Rolla
  
• Cape Girardeau to Springfield
  
• St. Louis to Kirksville
  

But that's not all! We are also updating this DLC by giving you a new free cargo to deliver - a huge underground electric loader. This machinery is used in the underground mining industry where it can operate fast in tough conditions. You will not only be able to transport it in Missouri but also in the ATS base map and some other map expansions.


Make sure to enjoy this upcoming map expansion to the fullest and explore new challenges with the Special Transport DLC which you can get on Steam!

If you are excited about Missouri, make sure to add this map expansion to your Steam wishlist. For more ATS news, make sure to follow us on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. We'll see you on the road!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2730870/American_Truck_Simulator__Missouri/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/962750/American_Truck_Simulator__Special_Transport/

Are you ready to explore the Show Me State? Mark your calendars and get ready to hit the road, because we're excited to announce that the...

[h2]Missouri DLC for American Truck Simulator will be released on April 3rd, 2025![/h2]


We're just as excited as you are, and to keep the anticipation going, we've released the official video trailer for the Missouri DLC on our YouTube channel! Created by our talented Video Team, this trailer will give you a preview of the beautiful landscapes, natural gems, cities, historic landmarks, industries and more that await you in this map expansion. Have a watch of it below!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We cannot wait for you to haul your first load into Missouri. Our teams are working in top gear to ensure everything is running smoothly for its release. From bug smashing to putting in additional polish on the map, we're on the final stretch!


Whether you choose to deliver to iconic cities like St. Louis or take the back roads to explore the state's stunning natural landmarks, including the Mississippi River and the Ozark Mountains, Missouri has something for everyone. From custom farm and quarry depots to underground warehouses, truckers will find a variety of unique industries to deliver to and from. Be sure to keep an eye out for roads that may not appear on your map or shortcuts around industries.


Excited to get trucking? There's not long to wait! In the meantime, be sure to add the Missouri DLC to your Steam Wishlist! It really helps support our work and notifies you of its release. We thank you for all your support! We look forward to seeing you on the road in Missouri on April 3rd, until then, keep on Truckin'.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2730870/American_Truck_Simulator__Missouri/

We're not quite ready to show you what we've been working on for American Truck Simulator, but maybe you can listen to it instead...

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]