In the 1.60 update, we have introduced the Improved Material System for selected trucks for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator. And today, we bring you a look behind the scenes at how this feature came to life!

The two main people working on this feature are our colleagues Daniel and Martin, who were and still are implementing the system for trucks in both games, and also for cars in the upcoming Road Trip project for American Truck Simulator.

Daniel - Vehicle Technical Leader

"I've been working at SCS Software for over thirteen years. I started as a 3D Generalist, then worked as a 3D Vehicle Artist and Vehicle Team Lead. Today, my role is the Vehicle Technical Leader.

My work bridges the gap between the graphical and technical aspects of development. I collaborate with programmers to implement vehicle features into the engine, while also helping artists establish efficient workflows. I also design new tools and technical improvements.

My task on the improved material system was to identify the problem, propose a solution, and collaborate with programmers on its implementation into the engine. Next, we needed to set up a practical workflow for the vehicle team so that the system could be used consistently across other vehicles. The programmers created the necessary support in the engine and shaders. The graphic designers then converted and fine-tuned the materials for specific trucks."

Martin - Senior 3D Graphic Designer

"I work as a Senior 3D Graphic Designer specializing in vehicles. I also worked as Head of Content for the Road Trip project. I participated in selecting the vehicles and their specific variants, handled research and pre-production, provided expert consultation, and subsequently worked on the actual creation of the vehicles. I also helped Dan fine-tune changes to the material system.

Cars have been a long-standing passion of mine, especially sports cars and classic cars - particularly American ones. Thanks to this, I was able to bring my own experience and knowledge of American automotive culture, history, and the technical development of individual models to the project.

My main task was the 1967 Ford Mustang and everything related to its visual and content preparation. I was involved in selecting the specific car and its variant, conducting research, gathering references, consulting during data collection, and the actual creation of the model and materials.

During the development of the new material system, I prepared and fine-tuned the individual surfaces on the Mustang. Together with Dan, we used this car to verify how the new technical solution behaved in practice and which values provided the most accurate results."

How did this project start?

"Development began while we were working on the Road Trip project. The interiors of passenger cars are smaller and darker than those of trucks, so the shortcomings of the original system were more noticeable in them.

Aside from direct light, the original system had no way to render light within the interiors. In the real world, a large portion of the visuals consists of so-called indirect, or reflected light (GI). However, the game did not work with this concept at all and was not designed for it. We knew we needed to change this somehow.

The second problem was that the interiors of the trucks contain many different materials, such as fabric, leather, plastic, painted surfaces, metal, and glass. The original system was unable to render them accurately, especially under indirect lighting; everything looked very flat.

"Road Trip provided us with a suitable, isolated environment for development and testing. From the start, however, we designed the system so that it could also be used for trucks," says Daniel.

What did you have to do before actually starting to implement the improved system?

"We needed to map out the actual vehicles and the materials used in their interior in detail through extensive research. I studied magazines, photographs, available documentation, and individual trim levels. While gathering data, we had the opportunity to see the specific car in person, speak with its owner, and document its construction and appearance in detail.

It wasn't enough to simply determine that a certain part of the interior was made of, for example, plastic, leather, or metal. We also had to examine the surface texture, the degree of gloss, the way the material reflects light, its wear and tear, the color shade, and the differences between individual parts.

This research laid the foundation upon which we could later assess whether the materials in the game corresponded to the actual vehicle," Martin told us.

"We also had to decide which direction to take. One of the key requirements was maintaining performance, so we looked for approaches that didn't require complex computational operations and sought techniques that would achieve good results with minimal changes to computational complexity. I believe the result of our efforts is a noticeable improvement in graphics with minimal impact on performance," Daniel shared with us.

How did the process of bringing the new system into the game look?

"We needed to implement changes to the engine regarding how the game loads and handles reflective textures. A reflective texture is essentially a cube where each face shows a reflection in a different direction relative to the player. Using it is significantly more efficient than calculating actual light reflections using ray tracing. We made several changes to the code to gain direct access to individual mipmaps. A mipmap is a scaled-down copy of the original image, typically used when a textured object is farther away from the player to eliminate unappealing texture aliasing. In our specific case, however, a lower resolution automatically results in a softer reflection, which can be used for materials that do not have a 100% glossy surface but rather a physically rougher surface, causing the reflection on the material to be more diffuse.

This way, we created several different levels of reflection smoothness, ranging from perfectly glossy surfaces like chrome, through smoother reflections such as those found on leather seat materials, to rough, nearly non-reflective materials like fabrics, where one side of the reflection cube is only 2x2px. In our case, it replaces the Iradience map, which means it primarily serves to project the surrounding light palette onto the given material (color cast). The game was already calculating the mipmaps themselves, which means this change costs us practically nothing in terms of performance - and that is the main reason we decided to use this approach.

Along with the material changes, we also needed to rebalance the contrast and lighting throughout the game to eliminate extremely dark areas and achieve a more realistic sense of lighting.

Unlike the original solution, where reflective textures were used only for highly reflective materials, particularly metals, the revised system applies a reflective texture to every single material in the vehicle's interior. However, they differ in how strongly the reflection is visible in the final image and in the softness of the reflection applied. This ensures that even less reflective materials - especially plastics - convey a sense of reflected light, color cast, and improved contrast, particularly in shaded areas of the interior. Players will now notice that the entire interior actually reacts to the truck's surroundings; for example, when driving past trees, the part of the interior near the windows takes on a subtle green tint. This makes the game feel much more realistic than before, even without the computationally expensive global illumination (GI) calculation.

Once the technology was ready, we needed to determine how to adjust the individual materials under the new conditions. Since each material now includes a reflective component, we had to completely rebalance all the settings for each material. To ensure that existing textures would function correctly with the new settings, we also had to rebalance their color and specular components to the standard values we had established during our extensive testing.

The final step for system-wide deployment was to create a material library so that we wouldn't have to configure each material type separately for every vehicle," Daniel explains.

What were the biggest challenges in implementing the system?

"The biggest challenge was the diversity of the vehicles. The individual trucks were created at different times and used different source data, textures, and rendering methods. There is no single conversion that works for all trucks. Each completed interior has its own structure and requires a customized approach," says Daniel.

"Also, the individual properties of materials influence one another. Changing the reflectance or roughness might improve the appearance of one surface, but at the same time cause the material to behave poorly in a different lighting situation. Or a material that looked right in direct daylight might be too shiny in a dark interior or react unnaturally while driving at night. It was therefore necessary to constantly strike a balance between realism, visibility, and consistent behavior. The goal was not to make all surfaces more prominent or shinier, but to accurately capture the differences between them.

We reworked many of these steps several times during development. However, the result was not just materials for one specific car, but also experience and guidelines that will significantly facilitate work on future vehicles.

The process wasn't straightforward. It wasn't enough to simply set a few parameters according to a pre-prepared table. We had to figure out many of the values ourselves, and together with Dan, we tested them repeatedly right in the game," Martin added.

How did you manage to do the changes without affecting performance?

"Our players use a wide range of hardware. We didn't want to create visual enhancements that would significantly reduce the game's performance or even make the game unplayable for some players. Therefore, the system is not based on a new, resource-intensive lighting simulation. It extends the existing rendering pipeline and utilizes already available data more efficiently.

Performance was continuously profiled during development. The goal was to achieve a visible improvement with minimal impact on the graphics card and memory. Furthermore, the system is configured to function with a certain trade-off even when set to medium or low - in such cases, while reflections are not rendered in real time and some benefits, such as realistic color cast from the vehicle's surroundings, are lost, the materials themselves still look realistic and can be distinguished from one another," says Daniel.

So far, we've implemented the improved material system on four trucks across ETS2 and ATS. Rather than making the community wait until every truck has been updated, we'll continue rolling out the improved material system for other trucks gradually, allowing you to enjoy the improvements on some vehicles already while we complete the rest. As Daniel explains here:

"Each truck requires individual adjustments, a visual inspection, and testing of all variants in daylight, at night, in the rain, and in cloudy weather. Therefore, it was not possible to update the entire fleet at once. This smaller initial group will allow us to verify the entire production process, maintain quality, and gather feedback from players."

We hope you have enjoyed this in-depth look at how we work on the improved material system. Make sure to also add the Ford Car Pack and the RAM & Dodge Car Pack to your Steam wishlist, so you can enjoy this feature on cars when we release them.

Don't forget to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube a follow, as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed! Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

Today, we take you on a preview journey to beautiful Rapid City, one of the cities you will find when driving through our upcoming South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator!

Rapid City is located in a picturesque landscape surrounded by some of South Dakota's most popular natural attractions. Heading west opens the way to the Black Hills National Forest and the iconic Mount Rushmore - the reason Rapid City is also known as the Gateway to the Black Hills. Traveling east along Interstate 90 takes you toward the rugged landscapes of Badlands National Park.

Beyond its surroundings, Rapid City has a rich heritage, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It has grown from a small settlement into a thriving regional hub while preserving the character that makes it unique. Today, tourism is one of the cornerstones of the local economy, with visitors drawn not only to the beauty of the region but also to the historic streets, distinctive buildings, and local landmarks.

Our asset and map designers have recreated plenty of these buildings and structures to bring Rapid City to life. Among them are two hotels, one of which is located in the heart of downtown, known for its appearance and history dating back to the 1920s. Driving further, you will also find another historic building that once served as the fire station and is now transformed into a local winery.

Some of the landmarks can be seen from a distance yet are instantly recognizable, such as the large white "SMD" letters displayed on the hillside above the city. Created by students as a tribute to the South Dakota Mines school and community, it has become one of the symbols of Rapid City. Another smaller landmark you may notice is the gateway entrance to Memorial Park, located in the center of the city along Rapid Creek.

You will also find many more landmarks as you explore Rapid City, from larger ones such as the city hall and administration buildings to smaller ones like a roadside windmill, a statue in the downtown, and others. Each of these elements has been recreated to help capture the atmosphere and identity of the real place.

And if you are visiting not only for sightseeing but also to take on a job, you will find plenty of depots to choose from. These include a cement works, a gas and chemical distribution facility, a sawmill, a warehouse, a home store, waste management, and even a custom-made grain elevator depot, all ready to load up your trailer.

We hope you are excited to discover Rapid City and everything else the Mount Rushmore State has to offer. If you do, make sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist! 

Also, remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from not only this map expansion, but also other American Truck Simulator projects, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

As the development of the upcoming Coaches DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 advances, today, we'd like to show you some of the new vehicle features we have developed for this expansion. Let's take a look!

Coaches feature a variety of systems and functions that trucks don't. So we needed to dive deeper and faithfully recreate new vehicle systems for the Coaches DLC, which we believe will enhance the driving experience and make every journey feel even more immersive when this expansion releases.

The first thing we have decided to implement is the destination display panel visible at the top of the windshield, showing the coach's final stop. It is a removable accessory, giving players the option to decide whether they want to use it or not, and is also visible from the interior. We've fine-tuned its appearance, including text length, colour, and other visual details to ensure it fits well across different destinations.

Another difference between coaches and trucks is that coaches have larger windshields, which means sunlight can be a greater challenge while driving. That is why we have developed adjustable sun visors. On coaches that support this feature, the visors are split into left and right sections, allowing each side to be controlled independently and positioned as needed. They are also visible from the exterior and include animated controls, as well as sound effects.

Since coaches are long vehicles, judging what's behind you can be quite a challenge. That's why modern coaches are typically equipped with rear-view cameras, which we've also included in this DLC. The camera feed is integrated directly into the dashboard, automatically switching from the navigation display when a reverse gear is engaged. Since we've aimed to recreate bus stations and stops as faithfully as possible, including real-life situations a coach driver might encounter, we believe the camera will prove especially useful in many situations.

We've also added interior lighting options to brighten up the journey for you and your passengers. The first is ambient lighting, which allows you to choose the color to suit your preference. The second is the main ceiling light, which can be switched on and off with a button, particularly useful at night when stopping to pick up or drop off passengers.

We hope you are looking forward to taking advantage of the new vehicle features we developed for Coaches. If so, then don't forget to add the Coaches DLC to your Steam wishlist! Also, make sure to keep track of future updates by following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, or sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, safe travels!

It's been a while since we last shared a story from our community, and today we're excited to bring you another one. This time, we follow Arda from Türkiye, a fan of Euro Truck Simulator 2, who turned his passion for virtual trucking into reality and has now earned his real truck driver's license!

What started as a love for life on the road in-game has grown into a real profession behind the wheel. Arda started playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 regularly in 2025, and the enjoyment he found in ETS2 inspired him to pursue truck driving in real life.

"ETS2 is extremely popular in Türkiye and has a very large and passionate community. I have always loved simulation games, so I bought the game immediately after discovering it. What I enjoyed most about ETS2 was its realism. The traffic rules, weather conditions, real truck brands, vehicles, countries, and maps all felt incredibly immersive. It genuinely felt like I was traveling across different countries. The truck sounds are very close to reality, and playing the game helps me relax and leave behind the stress of everyday life," says Arda.

When he started playing ETS2, he had no prior experience with driving trucks. At first, Arda played the single-player mode until he discovered Driving Academy and became hooked.

"I immediately thought that maybe this is what I've been looking for. It turned out to be exactly that. On that day, I decided to obtain a truck driver's license. I spent a lot of time practicing in Driving Academy. I challenged myself to complete the scenarios using only the first-person camera view. The final scenarios were extremely difficult. There were many nights when I stayed awake until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning trying to complete a single challenge. At one point, I thought I would never finish them, but after enough repetition and practice, I gradually improved. The final challenges were very difficult, but I was incredibly happy when I completed them all."

Arda realized how much he enjoyed being on the road and traveling toward a destination. The more time he spent playing the game, the more excited he became whenever he saw a real truck on the road. Before the end of the year, he signed up for a truck driving course and decided to pursue it seriously, and eventually succeeded as well.

"The experience I gained in ETS2, and especially in Driving Academy, helped me tremendously during my lessons. Reverse maneuvers, reversing with a trailer, and navigating tight or sharp turns felt much easier because I had already practiced them extensively in the game. I have been driving regular vehicles for many years, but maneuvering a trailer, especially in reverse, is completely different from driving a car. Without ETS2, I would have struggled much more," he told us.

We have also received stories over the years from other members of our community who had a similar story, and we are so proud that ETS2 contributed to Arda's career in real life. 

"I told my instructors about the game and how much it had helped me improve so quickly. When I noticed that I was progressing faster than many other trainee drivers, I realized just how beneficial the game had been for me. I saw that around 30–40% of candidates failed. I told many of them about ETS2 because it genuinely helped me. Reversing and parking a truck with a trailer is largely a matter of practice, and Driving Academy provides an excellent environment for that. After enough repetition, your brain becomes surprisingly comfortable performing similar maneuvers in real life."

It goes to show that Euro Truck Simulator 2 and the Driving Academy can help players to grasp the feeling of driving a truck and make it more comfortable when you sit in the real vehicle, as Arda elaborates on here:

"In the game, I often leaned my view out of the driver's side window while reversing into parking spaces. When I later tried similar maneuvers in real life, I was amazed by how natural they felt. Parking in an L-shape to the right (a 90-degree reverse parking maneuver) is difficult both in the game and in reality. However, through countless hours of practice in Driving Academy, I learned how to approach those situations calmly, how much steering input was appropriate, when a maneuver became risky, and how to reverse into areas with limited visibility. The experience felt remarkably close to real life. Without ETS2, I might not have passed the exam," Arda shared with us.

Even though he completed the truck driving license, there are still more things Arda needs to sort out before he can begin his real-life journey on the route.

"In Türkiye - and perhaps in other countries as well - obtaining a truck driver's license is only the first step. To work professionally as a truck driver, additional certificates, transportation qualifications, and international freight transport documents are required. I have already obtained all of them except one, and I am currently waiting for the final certification process to be completed. After that, I will officially be able to work in freight transportation," he says.

At the end of the blog, Arda has a message to the #BestCommunityEver, which might even motivate some of you who have been thinking about taking up a career as a truck driver to make the next step!

"After experiencing real trucks firsthand, I realized how comfortable they actually are. I wish I could drive a truck every day. The cabin is incredibly comfortable, and the driving position provides a great sense of confidence and safety. Being able to see the road from above other vehicles is a unique and enjoyable feeling. The large windshield offers a wonderful view of both the road and the scenery. Even in ETS2, I would often stop to admire beautiful landscapes and lighting conditions. Experiencing that feeling in real life, however, is something truly special and difficult to put into words."

We would like to thank Arda for sharing this story with our community and us, and wish him safe travels in his future truck driving adventures!

Don't forget to follow us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, so you won't miss out on upcoming news! 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 are excited to reveal the Holland Style Tuning Pack DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2, which is now released and available for you to get on Steam! This DLC contains dozens of accessories and paint jobs for a wide range of trucks and is the largest tuning pack we have developed for our games so far. Let's see what's in store!

Holland Style is one of the most distinctive and popular trends in European truck customization. In the 1970s, Dutch truckers began to adopt the idea of taking pride in their own trucks. Holland Style is characterized above all by perfectly coordinated colours, with a minimum of chrome, and an emphasis on symmetry, clean lines, and attention to detail.

The Holland Style Tuning Pack features a wide range of accessories for both the interior and exterior of your truck, along with an extensive selection of stylish paint jobs. This popular tuning style has been one of the most requested additions from our community, and many of the included items were inspired directly by their ideas.

"It all started some time ago when I was thinking about creating my own paint job DLC. Since we were working on the Benelux Rework at that time, which included the Netherlands, I wanted to create something to celebrate the occasion. I would like to thank all my colleagues for their tremendous cooperation and for putting so much passion into this project," says our 2D Graphic Designer for vehicles, Matej, who initiated the creation of this tuning pack.

With this DLC, you'll be able to customize your truck with a vast range of light boxes (for high-roof sleeper cabs), horns, mudflaps, auxiliary lights, Danish lights, and the famous double burners, as well as pennants, toys & decorations, steering wheels, and light boxes for the interior, allowing you to create a truly personalized cabin and make it feel like home.

While many of these accessories were designed by our team, we're especially proud to have collaborated with several well-known manufacturers to bring licensed products into the game. These include double burners, horns, auxiliary lights, and Danish plush pillows from Omnius; long mudflaps, pennants, and air fresheners from Go-In-Style; as well as interior light boxes, long mudflaps, and pennants from TruckJunkie.

You will also be able to select from 23 different paint jobs, each of which has 3 RGB presets that the player can choose from and customize the colours! The pack includes one paint job shared across all supported trucks, as well as two unique paint jobs for each of the truck groups listed below, with each pair tailored specifically to the respective truck models and differing between groups:

The tuning accessories for both the exterior and interior are available for all trucks in ETS2, where compatibility allows. The only exception is light boxes, which are limited to the trucks listed above. We also plan to update this DLC in the future for upcoming trucks.

While this tuning pack is going to make your truck beautiful on its own, we recommend combining it with other DLC for a top look, such as the HS-Shoch Tuning Pack, Michelin Fan Pack, XF Tuning Pack, Mighty Griffin Tuning Pack, FH Tuning Pack, Renault Trucks T Tuning Pack, or Actros Tuning Pack. All of these are fully compatible with this DLC, allowing you to create truly stunning combinations!

So if you'd like to start trucking in true Holland style, make sure to get this DLC on Steam now!

Remember to also give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok, and YouTube a follow, as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

In today's blog, we're excited to share something we know our #BestCommunityEver has been eagerly waiting for - the first gameplay video preview from project Road Trip, with the Ford F-150 as the first vehicle in the spotlight.

The Ford F-150 has earned its legendary status over decades at the top as America's best-selling car, built on a foundation of reliability, toughness, and continuous innovation. In this gameplay preview, we take a relaxed drive with the 2023 Ford F-150 Lariat, one of the vehicles included in the upcoming Ford Car Pack for American Truck Simulator.

We begin our journey on the roads near the city of Redding in sunny California. From there, the route takes us through busier traffic areas before transitioning to a dirt road, where the F-150 truly shines, showcasing its smooth handling and impressive capability on uneven, rugged terrain. So without further ado, let's take a look!

We hope you have enjoyed the first video preview from the Road Trip project, but remember that everything you saw is still very much a work in progress, such as the vehicle sounds and behaviour, and will be adjusted before the release. We can't wait to bring you more previews of what Road Trip will look like in our game, so stay tuned.

We would also like to thank Ford very much for enabling us to bring this amazing vehicle into our game! If you are looking forward to hitting the road in the F-150, make sure to add the Ford Car Pack for American Truck Simulator to your Steam Wishlist.

Also, remember to stay up to date with the latest Road Trip developments by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram. Until next time, we will see you on the road!

Even though the 1.60 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator was released just last week, we are already working on features for future updates. And since we want to gather as much feedback from our #BestCommunityEver, we are starting an experimental beta way in advance of the actual update release, with focus on two upcoming features - the Multi-Function Display and In-Game Menu. To make sure we get it right, we need your help!

As mentioned above, this time, we are starting the beta cycle from an early stage. The level of polish and stability in this release might not yet be on the same level as with our typical Open Betas. However, we recognize the importance of involving our community in the development process and need to gather feedback early to help us identify any imperfections.

With the Experimental Beta, we would like to invite our dedicated players to join us in fine-tuning, testing, and providing feedback on the upcoming Multi-Function Display and In-Game Menu features for both games. We appreciate all of your feedback on our forum and your bug reports in the dedicated section for ATS and ETS2.

Multi-Function Display

The MFD has been part of our vision to improve the overall in-game driving interface and accessibility of vehicle systems. Our goal is to create a more unified and intuitive way to access vehicle functions directly in-game, without the need to interrupt your experience or remember dozens of keybinds.

The MFD is an in-game interface accessible from both interior and exterior camera views. From there, you can quickly navigate through various categories and vehicle systems such as driving assists, lighting controls, vehicle adjustments, media functions, trip information, and more.

One of the main goals of this feature is to reduce interruptions while accessing vehicle systems and information. In most situations, opening the MFD will not pause gameplay, and vehicle controls will remain responsive during interaction.

Another key goal of this feature is discoverability. Over the years, ETS2 and ATS have accumulated many functions and controls that players may never encounter. The MFD helps make these features easier to find by presenting them in context and displaying their associated key binds directly within the menu.

The MFD is designed to support keyboard, mouse, wheel, and controller (both on PC and consoles in the future) users alike, with customisable navigation controls. You can read more about this feature here.

Please note that for the purposes of MFD in Experimental Beta, the controllers will only support In-Game Mapping Mode (which is the recommended default). The support for Steam Client Input Mode will be added only for the full release.

In-Game Menu

The In-Game Menu is a new quick-access overlay presented as a compact horizontal bar at the top of the screen, providing players with instant access to essential functions.

In the new design, the In-Game Menu, accessible via F1, includes two roles: it provides access to functions exclusive to it, while retaining quick access to selected functions that were previously available through F4 and F7. In-Game menu now consolidates what was previously spread across F1, F4, and F7, providing more immediate access to important system and gameplay functions.

From this bar, players can quickly access controls, photo mode, widget options, services, vehicle adjustments, and the quick info menu.

In single-player mode, opening the In-Game Menu will pause the game. For now, the In-Game Menu will not be accessible while driving in the convoy, but we are exploring ways in which players can use some of the menu's functions while driving in multiplayer.

Don't forget that both of these features are still in a work-in-progress phase and are undergoing internal and external testing and adjustments, so your feedback is crucial in helping us polish them before the final release.

We hope you'll enjoy these new additions, but please remember: It's only an experimental beta, not an open beta yet or even a stable public version, so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes - which is where we need your input the most to solve any of these issues. The new features for both games will also be available only in English, so it's completely okay if you want to wait for the open beta or the final release. But if you're interested in helping us get there faster, we'll appreciate all of your feedback on our forum.

If you wish to participate in this Experimental Beta, you can find this version in the Experimental Beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator → Properties → Betas tab → Beta Participation drop-down menu → experimental_beta. No password is required. Sometimes you will have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication and feedback. We believe the Experimental Beta will be a valuable stepping stone towards Open Beta and the 1.61 version. Don't forget to stay connected with us and all the latest information through our social media channels, make sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok. Happy trucking!

Today, we would like to show you a preview of one of the most famous and unique landscapes we have been recreating for the South Dakota DLC for American Truck Simulator - the beautiful Badlands National Park!

Situated along the edge of the Great Plains in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park spans 244,000 acres of dramatically eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, alongside the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the United States.

But why is such a stunning area named Badlands? For hundreds of years, the Lakota people have called it "mako sica", which translates to "bad lands". Then, early French fur trappers called the area "les mauvaises terres à traverser" (bad lands to travel across). Because when it rains there, the wet clay becomes sticky, and the jagged canyons also make it hard to navigate. The winters are cold and windy, and the summers are hot and dry. But it could have had a very different name, as in 1922, when Badlands was first proposed as a national park, the suggested name was Wonderland National Park.

The Badlands contain one of the world's richest fossil beds, preserving evidence of ancient species such as horses and rhinos that once roamed the region. Today, the area is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and a diverse range of other plant and animal life. As players enter this region in the game, they will be immediately greeted by roaming bison and striking rock formations.

As you drive further, you'll come across iconic places like Pinnacles Overlook, Yellow Mounds Overlook, and the Fossil Trail.

"I fell in love with this place the first time we visited it on our research trip; it's like stepping into another world, where lush green grass blends with the colorful local soil and rolling hills," says Draky, our map designer who worked on recreating this national park for our game.

One thing you may notice in this region is the sudden transition from expansive plains and gentle hills to a dramatic, iconic landscape characterized by rugged formations and large wildlife such as the bison. As the seasons change, the Badlands vegetation undergoes significant shifts in color throughout the year. The version depicted in the game reflects how the landscape appears between July and August, in which the game is set.

Draky also shares her insight on how difficult it was to transfer this wonderful area into the scale of American Truck Simulator, with a message to our community: "The biggest challenge was the initial layout planning, as the space is quite limited, but I'm still very happy with the result, and I'm sure you'll love experiencing this place every time you pass through."

We hope you are looking forward to exploring the Badlands. If so, make sure to add the South Dakota DLC to your Steam wishlist! 

Also, remember to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from this map expansion and other American Truck Simulator information, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Keep on truckin'!

We are excited to announce that the 1.60 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now officially released! Let's dive in and take a look at what's in store.

As always, we would first like to thank everyone who participated in the open beta phase and helped us fine-tune all the new content by reporting issues to the dedicated section on our forum. Now let's see what's new in the 1.60 update!

Game Radio

With the 1.60 update, we are introducing Game Radio, a brand-new in-game radio system designed to make every drive feel more immersive and authentic. Rather than just playing music, Game Radio gives you five stations with their own distinct sounds, identities, and moods, each one built to shape the atmosphere of your journey in a different way.

Players can tune into Rust FM, Escape, PUMP IT!, Pop Gear, and Roadio, spanning guitar-driven rock and American roots music to electronic, pop, and lo-fi. Each station features carefully curated tracks, handpicked to hold up across many hours on the road. Escape is also a radio station designed to help content creators, and we are committed to do our best to keep it stream-safe.

Game Radio also introduces a new in-game widget displaying station info, track titles, and artist names while driving. Players can customize widget behavior through the Widget Options menu (F6). This update also brings a range of improvements to the existing radio and music player systems.

Game Radio arrives with its musical foundation in place, with more planned for future updates. You can find out more information about Game Radio in our dedicated blog post.

Improved Material System

The Improved Material System significantly improves the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors in selected trucks. Its main focus is to enhance how interior materials react to light, which results in a more readable, detailed, and visually pleasing cabin environment.

During the development of Project Road Trip, we implemented a wide range of visual and technical improvements. One of the most significant changes was a redesign of the materials used in vehicle interiors. As a result, it makes differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal far more apparent, even in low-light conditions. The new solution uses multiple variants of dynamic cubemaps, allowing all materials to reflect their surroundings more naturally and respond to ambient light in a more realistic way.

The entire system was designed from the start with the interiors of trucks in both games in mind, so the base games and their existing fleets will gradually benefit from these improvements as well. The first trucks to benefit from the Improved Material System in ETS2 are the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX models. With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.

Light Tweaks

We have carried out minor adjustments to the global lighting, primarily focused on exposure and contrast balancing, along with subtle visual refinements for bad weather conditions. The work mainly consisted of smoothing out and polishing the overall visuals to achieve a more consistent and refined look.

Volvo FH Series 6 Update

With this update, truckers can customize their Volvo FH Series 6 with a selection of several new aerodynamic parts, including the newly designed aerodynamic roof deflectors available for the Sleeper Cab, Globetrotter, and Globetrotter XL cab variants. These updated components help create a smoother and more refined roof profile, blending seamlessly into the truck's overall design.

Alongside these additions, all Aero cabin variants also have the option to add new distinctive black aerodynamic A-Pillar trim, as featured on the newest generation of Volvo FH truck. These new additions reflect Volvo Trucks' ongoing efforts to improve aerodynamic efficiency and optimise airflow around the cab to help enhance energy efficiency and overall vehicle performance.

Job Details Widget

Based on feedback from our #BestCommunityEver and upcoming widget designs, the Job Details Widget is introduced with the 1.60 update. Its primary purpose is to enable a new, more immediate, and concise way of displaying relevant job info. Also, in response to community feedback, the GPS now displays the estimated arrival day and time, along with the remaining travel time and distance.

You can enable the Job Details Widget through the Widget Options menu (F6). The widget displays key job information, including cargo type and weight, delivery location, job income (colour-highlighted), and the remaining time to complete the job, so players will have this info available immediately without the necessity to pause the game. You can read more about the feature here.

Expanded Rest Mechanic

This new feature gives players greater control over their rest periods by allowing them to choose how long they want to sleep and exactly when they want to wake up, instead of being limited to a predefined rest duration.

Alongside this change, the Fatigue system is now split into two separate values: Rest State and Mandatory Break, each represented by its own icon in the UI.

The Rest State, symbolised by a bed icon, now gradually depletes rather than recovers over time. Extended periods of driving will steadily reduce the Rest State, while resting will restore it at a faster rate.

The Mandatory Break system, indicated by a "P" icon along with the remaining hours before a required stop, functions more strictly. In Euro Truck Simulator 2, drivers may drive for up to 10 hours before taking a mandatory break, which requires 9 consecutive hours of rest. You can read more about this feature here.

Changelog

Vehicles

• Volvo FH Series 6 Update

Visual

• Improved Material System
• Light Tweaks

Sound

• Game Radio

UI/UX

• Job Details Widget
• Expanded Rest Mechanic

In today's blog, we take you along on a trip to the town of Akureyri, which you will be able to visit yourself when the upcoming Iceland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 releases. So let's take a look!

Akureyri is the fourth-largest city in Iceland and is often referred to as the Capital of the North due to its location and importance to the region. Nestled on the shores of Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord, the town enjoys a spectacular setting beneath snow-capped mountain peaks, with the Glerá River flowing through its heart.

The earliest records of settlement in the area date back to the 9th century. However, it was not until the 18th century that Akureyri began to develop into an important commercial center, thanks to its harbor and proximity to rich fishing grounds. Today, it is Iceland's second-largest port and serves as a major hub for the country's fishing industry, as well as for cruise ships and cargo transport.

Drivers traveling along Route 1, also known as the Ring Road, will pass directly through the center of Akureyri. From there, several side roads branch off toward the harbor, industrial areas, and local food-processing facilities. In the port district, truckers can deliver cargo to a marine logistics center, a shipyard, and an electronics manufacturing depot.

One of Akureyri's most recognizable landmarks is Akureyrarkirkja, a striking church designed in 1940 by Guðjón Samúelsson, the architect behind Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland's most famous church.

Players will also recognize a number of other landmarks inspired by their real-world counterparts, including the Hof Cultural and Conference Centre on the waterfront and the Akureyri Art Museum, with its famous colorful pavement leading to its entrance. The town is also a great spot for whale watching tours, which is why we've also included the local whale watching center.

We hope you'll fall in love with Akureyri, with its colourful houses and stunning natural surroundings. If you do, you might even buy a garage in town and transform it into your company's northern Iceland branch.

If you are eager to be trucking in this upcoming map expansion, don't forget to support us by adding the Iceland DLC to your Steam wishlist.

Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll receive updates not only about Iceland, but also other news from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, safe travels!

A new SCS On The Road episode has just arrived! Buckle up and join us as we take you along for the amazing Volvo Days: Influencer Day event, where we were invited by Volvo Construction Equipment.

After the last one two years ago, Volvo CE once again hosted its well-known Volvo Days event at their Customer Center in Eskilstuna, Sweden, showcasing its latest products to customers and the public.

This year, Volvo invited us to attend the event and also approached us to help connect them with content creators from our community to take part in the Influencer Day, held on May 28. Together, we joined fellow influencers such as Gamekeepers_cz, TheNorthernAlex, Polmanzan, Iwona Blecharczyk, and others for a day that began with an amazing machine show and continued with hands-on experience operating Volvo CE equipment and Volvo trucks. Now, let's watch the episode!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Volvo Construction Equipment and their staff for inviting us to this incredible event, providing great hospitality, and giving us the opportunity to experience their vast product line hands-on! You can find more information about the Volvo Days event here.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to show your appreciation by following Volvo CE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

And if you would like to transport some Volvo CE 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.

Also, don't forget 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. Until next time, happy haulin'!

We are excited to introduce the TourAmerica paint jobs for the Kenworth T680 2022 and W900 as free content in the upcoming 1.60 update for American Truck Simulator!

A few months ago, Kenworth unveiled a special-edition paint scheme as part of the Freedom 250 initiative, a nationwide effort commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and celebrating the enduring spirit of American trucking.

Inspired by the iconic TourAmerica T600 paint scheme of the 1990s, this striking design combines red, white, and blue colors - a classic styling with contemporary finishes. We are happy to support the celebrations by bringing this beautiful paint job to American Truck Simulator, where it will be available for both the Kenworth W900 and Kenworth T680 2022.

Now, ATS drivers can join in the festivities as well and pay tribute to trucking heritage with a unique paint job that honors both a legendary design and a major milestone in American history.

These paint jobs are already available in the ongoing 1.60 Open Beta for American Truck Simulator. If you're taking part, be sure to give your Kenworth a fresh new look and hit the road in style!

Remember to follow us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest news from American Truck Simulator, or sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, we wish you happy haulin'!

We're excited to share that we'll be attending the Rock for People 2026 music festival in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. We've been invited by PlayStation CZ to their gaming hangar at the event with our 4D Motion Simulator, where you'll be able to play our games!

From the 10th to 14th of June, we'll be part of the 31st edition of this iconic festival, taking place at Park 360 in Hradec Králové. You'll find us in the PlayStation Hangar, located near the main entrance, where visitors will have the opportunity to experience our games on our immersive 4D Motion Simulator and meet some of our colleagues.

Rock for People welcomed more than 50,000 visitors last year, and we're thrilled to be part of this incredible event. While you're enjoying the music and atmosphere, make sure to stop by, say hello to our colleagues, and enjoy a ride on our simulator!

You can find more information about the Rock For People festival here. We would also like to send a huge thank you to PlayStation CZ for inviting us to this fantastic event. We can't wait to see you there!

For more news from other events and our games, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed! Until next time, keep on truckin'.

We're happy to announce that the Open Beta for the 1.60 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now available for players to try out and test. If you choose to participate, we'd greatly appreciate any feedback, bug reports, or issues you encounter being shared in the appropriate section of our official forums.

Your feedback and reports are incredibly valuable to our team, and we truly appreciate everyone taking the time to help us refine and improve the game experience. Now, without further ado, let's take a closer look at what the 1.60 Open Beta has in store.

Game Radio

With Update 1.60, we are introducing Game Radio, a brand-new in-game radio system designed to make every drive feel more immersive and authentic. Rather than just playing music, Game Radio gives you five stations with their own distinct sounds, identities, and moods, each one built to shape the atmosphere of your journey in a different way.

At launch, players can tune into Rust FM, Escape, PUMP IT!, Pop Gear, and Roadio, spanning guitar-driven rock and American roots music to electronic, pop, and lo-fi. Each station features carefully curated tracks, handpicked to hold up across many hours on the road. Escape is also the only stream-safe station at launch, designed to help content creators avoid copyright claims.

Game Radio also introduces a new in-game widget displaying station info, track titles, and artist names while driving. Players can customize widget behavior through the Widget Options menu (F6). This update also brings a range of improvements to the existing radio and music player systems.

Game Radio arrives with its musical foundation in place, with more planned for future updates. You can find out more information about Game Radio in our dedicated blog post.

Improved Material System

The Improved Material System significantly improves the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors in selected trucks. Its main focus is to enhance how interior materials react to light, which will result in a more readable, detailed, and visually pleasing cabin environment.

During the development of Project Road Trip, we implemented a wide range of visual and technical improvements. One of the most significant changes was a redesign of the materials used in vehicle interiors. As a result, it makes differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal far more apparent, even in low-light conditions. The new solution uses multiple variants of dynamic cubemaps, allowing all materials to reflect their surroundings more naturally and respond to ambient light in a more realistic way.

The entire system was designed from the start with the interiors of trucks in both games in mind, so the base games and their existing fleets will gradually benefit from these improvements as well. The first trucks to benefit from the Improved Material System in ETS2 will be the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX models. With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games. You can read more about this feature here.

Light Tweaks

We have carried out minor adjustments to the global lighting, primarily focused on exposure and contrast balancing, along with subtle visual refinements for bad weather conditions. The work mainly consisted of smoothing out and polishing the overall visuals to achieve a more consistent and refined look.

Volvo FH Series 6 Update

With this update, truckers will be able to customize their Volvo FH Series 6 with a selection of several new aerodynamic parts, including the newly designed aerodynamic roof deflectors available for the Sleeper Cab, Globetrotter, and Globetrotter XL cab variants. These updated components help create a smoother and more refined roof profile, blending seamlessly into the truck's overall design.

Alongside these additions, all Aero cabin variants will also have the option to add new distinctive black aerodynamic A-Pillar trim, as featured on the newest generation of Volvo FH truck. These new additions reflect Volvo Trucks' ongoing efforts to improve aerodynamic efficiency and optimise airflow around the cab to help enhance energy efficiency and overall vehicle performance.

Job Details Widget

Based on feedback from our #BestCommunityEver and upcoming widget designs, the Job Details Widget will be introduced with the 1.60 update. Its primary purpose will be to enable a new, more immediate, and concise way of displaying relevant job info. Also, in response to community feedback, the GPS will now display the estimated arrival day and time, along with the remaining travel time and distance.

Once added, you'll be able to enable the Job Details Widget through the Widget Options menu (F6). The widget will display key job information, including cargo type and weight, delivery location, job income (colour-highlighted), and the remaining time to complete the job, so players will have this info available immediately without the necessity to pause the game. You can read more about the feature here.

Expanded Rest Mechanic

This new feature gives players greater control over their rest periods by allowing them to choose how long they want to sleep and exactly when they want to wake up, instead of being limited to a predefined rest duration.

Alongside this change, the Fatigue system will now be split into two separate values: Rest State and Mandatory Break, each represented by its own icon in the UI.

The Rest State, symbolised by a bed icon, will now gradually deplete rather than recover over time. Extended periods of driving will steadily reduce the Rest State, while resting will restore it at a faster rate.

The Mandatory Break system, indicated by a "P" icon along with the remaining hours before a required stop, will function more strictly. In Euro Truck Simulator 2, drivers may drive for up to 10 hours before taking a mandatory break, which requires 9 consecutive hours of rest. You can read more about this feature here.

Changelog

Vehicles

• Volvo FH Series 6 Update

Visual

• Improved Material System
• Light Tweaks

Sound

• Game Radio

UI/UX

• Job Details Widget
• Expanded Rest Mechanic

So enjoy all the new additions, but please remember: It's only an open beta, not a stable public version - so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes. It's completely okay if you want to wait for the final release. But if you're interested in helping us to get there faster, we'd appreciate all of your feedback on our forum and your bug reports in the dedicated section.

Please check our modding wiki to get details pertaining to mods for the game.

If you wish to participate in this Open Beta, you can find this version in the Experimental Beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on Euro Truck Simulator 2 → Properties → Betas tab → Beta Participation drop-down menu → public_beta. No password is required. Sometimes you will have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.

Today, we are happy to give you a glimpse at the upcoming 1.60 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator with the Expanded Rest Mechanic feature, which will change how the fatigue system in our games works, so let's take a look!

We are implementing the Expanded Rest Mechanic into our games after a lot of requests from our #BestCommunityEver for this feature. This new feature gives players greater control over their rest periods by allowing them to choose how long they want to sleep and exactly when they want to wake up, instead of being limited to a predefined rest duration.

Alongside this change, the Fatigue system will now be split into two separate values: Rest State and Mandatory Break, each represented by its own icon in the UI.

The Rest State, symbolised by a bed icon, will now gradually deplete rather than recover over time. Extended periods of driving will steadily reduce the Rest State, while resting will restore it at a faster rate. Players will receive a warning notification when their Rest State becomes critically low, and microsleep events will begin occurring once it reaches exhaustion.

The Mandatory Break system, indicated by a "P" icon along with the remaining hours before a required stop, will function more strictly. Players will receive a notification two hours before a mandatory break is required, as well as another warning if they exceed the allowed driving time, which will also result in a traffic violation penalty.

In American Truck Simulator, drivers can stay on the road for up to 14 hours before they must take a mandatory break, requiring 10 consecutive hours of rest afterward. In Euro Truck Simulator 2, drivers may drive for up to 10 hours before taking a mandatory break, which requires 9 consecutive hours of rest.

We believe these additions coming to our games with the future 1.60 update will provide players with greater flexibility and customization while also enhancing realism. However, both systems can be enabled or disabled independently in the settings, allowing you to tailor the experience to your own preference.

Don't forget to stay tuned for more news from the upcoming 1.60 update by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, safe travels!

In today's blog, we bring you another piece of the puzzle from the upcoming 1.60 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, which we hope will get our #BestCommunityEver very excited. In this update, we will be introducing the Improved Material System for the interior of selected trucks! Let's take a look.

The Improved Material System, which will be introduced in the 1.60 update for both games, significantly improves the lighting and visual quality of vehicle interiors in selected trucks. Its main focus is to enhance how interior materials react to light, which will result in a more readable, detailed, and visually pleasing cabin environment.

During the development of Project Road Trip, we implemented a wide range of visual and technical improvements. One of the most significant changes was a redesign of the materials used in vehicle interiors. 

This has been requested from our community for some time, as the previous system often made interiors appear too dark and flat, especially in scenes without direct lighting. As a result, it makes differences between materials such as leather, fabric, plastic, and metal far more apparent, even in low-light conditions.

"The main goal of the new technology was to bring more light into shadowed areas of vehicle interiors. The previous system struggled to handle indirect lighting in these situations, causing many details to be lost in darkness. The new solution uses multiple variants of dynamic cubemaps, allowing all materials to reflect their surroundings more naturally and respond to ambient light in a more realistic way. Environmental reflections are no longer limited to highly polished metallic surfaces. This change gives interiors significantly greater depth and readability," says our Vehicle Technical Leader, Daniel.

We have also carried out minor adjustments to the global lighting, primarily focused on exposure and contrast balancing, along with subtle visual refinements for bad weather conditions to achieve a more consistent and refined look. 

The development of this system took place in parallel with Project Road Trip, where its importance became even more apparent. Smaller, darker passenger vehicle interiors suffered from a lack of indirect light more than trucks with bright cabs and large windows, which often allow direct light to enter. Road Trip thus served as the ideal environment for developing and fine-tuning these technologies.

The entire system was designed from the start with the interiors of trucks in both games in mind, so the base games and their existing fleets will gradually benefit from these improvements as well. Throughout the entire process, we kept players with lower-end hardware in mind. We aimed to make the visual improvements as impactful as possible while minimizing the performance cost.

The first trucks to benefit from the Improved Material System will be the DAF NGD and MAN TG3 TGX models in ETS2. In ATS, players will see redesigned interiors for the Mack Anthem and the Western Star 49X. With future updates, we will gradually add this technology for other trucks across both games.

We hope this new feature has you looking forward to the 1.60 update even more, as it brings a major enhancement to these truck interiors and makes the view from the driver's seat better than ever! Please note that the Road Trip vehicles are not releasing with the 1.60 update.

Until next time, be sure to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube for all the latest updates. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter as well! See you out on the road, and keep on truckin'!

We are happy to bring you another preview from the upcoming Iceland map expansion for Euro Truck Simulator 2, as today, we are taking a closer look at the majestic fjords found in this country!

These glacier-carved inlets are an integral part of the Land of Fire and Ice landscape. They can be found in various locations around the island and are filled with wildlife, towering cliffs, and centuries-old fishing villages.

Capturing Iceland's stunning fjords on our scale presented a unique challenge. In reality, these vast landscapes stretch for kilometers, but at a reduced in-game scale, we needed to carefully balance realism with gameplay so they preserve their breathtaking character and don't lose the sense of grandeur that makes them so iconic.

As a result, players can look forward to routes that faithfully recreate the experience of driving on Iceland's coastline, driving long distances along winding coastal roads to reach the opposite side of a fjord that remains constantly in view, towering majestically beside them the entire journey.

What truly brought these landscapes to life was the presence of water itself. Countless waterfalls, winding streams, tranquil lakes, and bays add a sense of movement and atmosphere to the environment, making Iceland's fjords feel far more vibrant and dynamic than ordinary mountain scenery.

Our map designers also shared some insight into the process behind creating these landscapes. "One of the biggest challenges was modeling and texturing the fjords themselves, which took a considerable amount of time. At the same time, though, it was one of the most enjoyable tasks I've ever had the chance to work on. We also used satellite imagery to better understand how the fjord was formed, so we could design it to look natural even when viewed from different angles and distances," Jan explained.

"At first, the fjords made me feel as if I was looking at another planet. It was hard for me to grasp the sheer scale, size, distance, and shape of these natural formations. But after a while, I began to notice that all the shapes in the rocks have their own logic and continuity. That is exactly the feeling I want to convey to the player who will be driving through these routes. At first glance, they'll be amazed by the size and shape of the fjords, but at the same time, they'll have the chance to look around and understand how the landscape connects," says our map designer, Ashley.

Truckers will encounter a variety of unique locations, each with its own atmosphere. Seyðisfjörður, nestled deep within the bay of the same name, serves as one of the main gateways to Iceland thanks to the ferry connection from Hirtshals in Denmark. Further south in the Eastern Fjords lies Reyðarfjörður, home to an aluminum processing plant depot, while nearby Stöðvarfjörður captures the quiet charm of the Austfirðir region and its coastal settlements.

In the remote and sparsely populated region of the Westfjords, players will drive through Álftafjörður, probably the largest and most imposing fjord featured in this DLC. You will also be able to visit Ísafjörður, a small town built on a narrow headland in Skutulsfjörður, which stands as one of the key economic hubs in the western part of the map.

If you are excited to be trucking in this map expansion, don't forget to support us by adding the Iceland DLC to your Steam wishlist.

Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll receive updates from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Happy haulin'!

With the upcoming 1.60 update, we are continuing to refine the widget system in both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator based on feedback gathered from our community. Following that, we will be introducing the Job Details Widget, so let's see the changes that will be coming. 

Based on the feedback from our #BestCommunityEver and upcoming widget designs, the Job Details Widget will be introduced with the 1.60 update. Its primary purpose will be to enable a new, more immediate, and concise way of displaying relevant job info.

In the current design, this info is spread across multiple screens, most of it displayed as part of Quick Info, which currently shows the place of pick up and delivery, job income, cargo type and weight, the next rest stop, and remaining time to complete the job, which is also displayed under the GPS.

Once added, you'll be able to enable the Job Details Widget through the Widget Options menu (F6). The widget will display key job information, including cargo type and weight, delivery location, job income (colour-highlighted), and the remaining time to complete the job, so players will have this info available immediately without the necessity to pause the game.

In addition, the remaining job time will no longer appear on the GPS and will instead be shown exclusively in the Job Details Widget.

We hope that, through ongoing community feedback, we can continue to refine the widget system and improve the overall player experience.

Until next time, remember to stay tuned for more news from the upcoming 1.60 update by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Keep on truckin'!

We had an amazing day on May 15, as we organized SCS Fay Day Experience #4! We welcomed fans of our games from all around the world to our office in Prague, where they had the opportunity to meet our team, tour the studio, and get a behind-the-scenes look at how our games are made.

After receiving a huge number of applications for this fourth edition of our SCS Fan Day, we had to narrow the list down to a smaller group of some of our most dedicated fans, including visitors who traveled all the way to Prague from countries such as Brazil.

As always, it turned into an unforgettable experience meeting and chatting with members of our #BestCommunityEver. Once everyone arrived, they took on the challenge of driving on our 4D motion simulator before heading out on a tour of the office. Along the way, we stopped by several departments where our colleagues gave them a behind-the-scenes look at what they are currently working on and how the development process looks at SCS Software.

Later in the afternoon, we hosted a special Q&A session with our developers and CEO Pavel Šebor, where we discussed the community's thoughts on our games and answered plenty of questions from our guests. The session was accompanied by delicious snacks and coffee before we gathered for a group photo, handed out bags filled with SCS merchandise, and unfortunately had to say goodbye - at least until we hopefully meet again someday!

We would like to thank everyone who took part in this year's Fan Day. We hope it was a memorable experience for you, because it was certainly unforgettable for us as well. Your passion, support, and willingness to travel such long distances just to meet us truly means the world to everyone here at SCS Software, and it continues to motivate us every day. We also hope to meet again with everyone who applied but was not selected or was unable to attend this time around.

We hope we will be able to host another Fan Day in the future and meet even more of our amazing fans. Don't forget to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow, as you'll receive news from any upcoming events straight to your feed, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed.

It's so exciting when something you've been working on for quite some time is finally done. Today is the day, as the long-awaited Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator is ready to welcome its first truckers!

The Illinois DLC is now released and available on Steam!

We announced Illinois in February 2025, and since then, our asset and map designers have done some amazing work on bringing it to life for our #BestCommunityEver. As we brought you updates on this DLC in the past year, we have seen your amazing feedback and excitement about this map expansion. We are so happy that today, we are finally able to explore it! And believe us, there's so much to discover.

Make the most of your visit to the wonderful Prairie State and enjoy every moment as you:

In today's blog, we bring you a glimpse at some of the custom depots featured in the upcoming Iceland map expansion, which is currently in development for Euro Truck Simulator 2. So let's take a look at what our map designers are working on!

The largest one is a landmark depot of a silicon metal factory, which is an accurate 1:1 copy of the real-world facility found in this location. This will be the home of a new virtual company called Kísilverksmiðja, producing silicon metal, which is used in a wide variety of applications in the chemical industry, production of silicones and silanes, or high-strength aluminium alloys for the automotive industry.

Truckers will be able to drive to nearly every corner of the complex and load or unload their truck in various locations within the complex based on the type of cargo they are hauling. The depot will also feature dynamic cargo loading of logs, which play a key role in this industry. The entire location is positioned near the coast, so in addition to the tunnel connecting the depot and the city, drivers will also get to enjoy some beautiful views of the sea.

Then, you will find three custom-made quarries located in the towns of Selfoss, Patreksfjörður, and Blönduós. Quarrying of aggregate materials, both rock and sediment, is an important industry in Iceland, since aggregates are needed for a wide range of building and road construction projects.

All of these quarries are branches of the well-established MS Stein company that truckers can already know. Set within Iceland's iconic landscapes, these unique depots offer striking surroundings: the first two lie at the foot of towering cliffs, with the second one also boasting sweeping views of the sea.

Truckers will also come across six custom farm depots, each reflecting the characteristic Icelandic rural way of life. These are usually smaller, family-owned homesteads, often situated at the foot of mountains and shaped by the surrounding landscape. Their architecture is adapted to Iceland's demanding climate, using practical materials such as concrete and corrugated metal.

On these farms, you will often see livestock typical of the region, particularly Icelandic sheep and cattle. Some, like those in Þórshöfn and near Reykjavík, are tucked into the landscape, while others are located right beside the road.

With these farms, our map designers tried to convey the narrow Icelandic roads, deep valleys, charcoal-colored rocks and soil, and farmsteads appearing as clusters of modest farm buildings nestled against the base of rugged mountains. Beyond them, you will see just vast stretches of land that extend far into the rocky highlands, with roaming sheep.

And that's all for today! If we got you excited about this map expansion, don't forget to support us by adding the Iceland DLC to your Steam wishlist.

Remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll receive updates about our games straight to your feed, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed! Until next time, keep on trucking.

We are excited that the 1.59 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now officially released and available on Steam! We hope you will enjoy all the new features, which you can read about in more detail below.

As always, we would like to thank everyone who took part in the open beta phase and reported possible issues or any kind of feedback on our forum, as it helped us fine-tune everything for a smooth transition to the full update!

Benelux Rework Release

We are happy to reveal that the long-awaited Benelux Rework project is released with this update! Our assets and map designers have completely rebuilt the whole original map of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg from scratch, delivering a richer, more detailed experience.

Truckers can explore a wide range of revamped major cities and their surroundings, including Amsterdam, Groningen, Rotterdam, Brussels, Liège, and Luxembourg City. Each location has been carefully redesigned to highlight its unique character with plenty of landmarks and details!

You can also look forward to hauling cargo through entirely new locations. These include Antwerp, home to one of Europe's largest container ports; the DAF Trucks facility in Eindhoven, which has been recreated with remarkable detail in close cooperation with our partners at DAF Trucks; as well as key transport corridors - the busy E40 and A2 motorway.

You'll be able to drive from the beautiful hilly landscapes of the Belgian Ardennes to the flat polders and picturesque coastal roads in the northern Netherlands - the reworked Benelux offers a diverse and varied environment that truly reflects the region's look and feel.

Whether you're cruising through dense city centers, navigating busy highways, or discovering scenic country routes, the Benelux region now offers a far more immersive and authentic journey. You can see more from what is coming in our already released blogs on this topic.

Volvo Trucks Experience Center

In partnership with our friends at Volvo Trucks, we are adding the renowned Volvo Trucks Experience Center, situated in Gothenburg, Sweden, to the map, where you can test your trucking skills.

The center's standout feature is its dedicated driving circuit, which incorporates sweeping bends, tighter technical corners, elevation changes, downhill stretches, and varied road layouts. This allows drivers to assess vehicle behaviour in a controlled environment, highlighting stability, braking precision, handling characteristics, and overall driving comfort in ways that go beyond everyday road conditions.

The Volvo Trucks Experience Center has been recreated almost entirely on a 1:1 scale in our map with a strong attention to detail. You can drive the full circuit and explore the surrounding areas of the facility.

To find this amazing facility, you need to venture around the roads near Gothenburg to discover an entrance that will initially not be shown on your GPS. And remember, since it is located in Sweden, you need the Scandinavia DLC to be able to visit it. You can read more about this addition here.

Thermo King Update

Thermo King, a global leader in transport temperature control, is coming to Euro Truck Simulator 2 with their trailer refrigeration units! These replace all the unbranded units we had on our base game and DLC reefer trailers so far. This adds an extra touch of realism when you are hauling temperature-sensitive cargo and spot a famous real-world brand on your trailer.

With this update, you can see the Thermo King A-360, A-400, A-500, SLXi-300, and SLXi-400 refrigeration units on the front of your single trailers, which deliver a range of trailer refrigeration performance to suit different transport needs. On top of that, we also added the UT-1400R unit, designed for double-trailer configurations and mounted beneath the trailer. Find out more about this update here.

Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets

We've been closely listening to feedback from our community, and one of the most common points raised in the new route advisor was that many players missed having quick access to information on vehicle damage and finances. While our teams are actively working on the next steps in our broader vision for a redesigned UI in this area, we didn't want to make you wait until that work is complete. Instead, we've prioritized implementing some of the most frequently requested improvements as soon as possible.

Based on that, we've implemented the Damage and Finances widgets. These widgets are designed to restore easy access to information about truck damage, plus trailer and cargo damage, if you are currently driving with a trailer and cargo, as well as your current bank balance, with an average profit over the last seven days displayed too.

These widgets can be turned on and off in the Widget Settings Menu, and if enabled, they will be displayed in the bottom right corner above your GPS.

Tow to Road

The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It allows drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It also helps prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.

So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road. You can read more about this feature here.

Skills UX Redesign

The Skill Screen has received a visual rework while remaining in its original place within the interface. This update focuses on improving clarity and overall user experience without changing its core functionality.

You can now view both your current skill level and the next step in its progression. Tooltips also allow you to explore other ranks within each skill. Selecting a skill provides improved readability and clearer visual feedback, including a better indication of how many steps remain in that skill's progression path.

Each skill is represented as a clickable button, making it easy to access more detailed information. The redesign also improves navigation when using a controller.

QoL UI/UX Changes

We're continuing to refine the overall user experience with updates focused on readability, clarity, and smoother controller navigation.

The in-game news banner has received a visual refresh to better align with our newer UI style while improving readability. When hovering over a news item, a tooltip will now display a longer excerpt along with a clear call to action. Deactivated news items now feature a clearer status indicator, which also doubles as an activation button.

We're making navigation on the world map more intuitive for controller users. A new "undo last pin" feature has been added, along with remapped controls for adding, removing, setting avoid areas, and resetting pins.

Save handling has also been improved, with new saves now using the standard save icon instead of a black screenshot and overwriting clearly labeled as "Overwrite". Garage upgrade cutscenes can now be skipped more consistently using the (B) button, and the controller navigation has been further refined with improved D-pad accessibility across UI.

Traffic Sound Rework

We've also made some adjustments to traffic audio as part of this update. Sounds have been softened and rebalanced to better match real-world perception, with less emphasis on distant engine noise and more on the subtle "road hiss" of tires. Honking behavior has also been slightly randomized to reduce repetition. Overall, traffic should now feel less intrusive and better integrated into the ambient soundscape.

Height Blend Improvements

We've also made a few improvements to the Height Blend feature. Derived normal maps can now be enabled to help conserve GPU memory, and we've also addressed several graphical issues to ensure more consistent, visually accurate results.

Detour Feature Maintenance

We've decided to temporarily disable the detour feature to focus on maintenance and further development. We've received numerous reports of Detours not functioning as intended, and the current system no longer meets our needs.

As a result, we'll be shutting down detours while we work on improving and upgrading the feature in the background to make it more stable and reliable. Please note that this change only affects detours - random road events will continue to be available in the game.

Changelog

Map

• Benelux Rework Release
• Volvo Trucks Experience Center

Vehicles

• Thermo King Update

UI/UX

• Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
• Skills UX Redesign
• QoL UI/UX Changes
• Improved News Banner Readability
• World Map Pin Enhancements
• Save Icon Update
• Garage Cutscene Skipping
• D-pad Accessibility Improvements

Visuals

• Height Blend Improvements

Sounds

• Traffic Sound Rework

Today, we're excited to give you a closer look at the 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands, one of the vehicles that you'll be able to get behind the wheel of in our upcoming Road Trip module with the Ford Car Park DLC for American Truck Simulator.

Few vehicles have captured the spirit of American adventure quite like the Ford Bronco. Its legendary status comes from decades of exploring the wild, built on a foundation of rugged capability, a good mix of abilities, and open-air freedom.

It became an easily recognizable vehicle by people all over the world in the past decades, featured in some popular movies, too. The 2023 Bronco Badlands, which you will be able to drive with the Ford Car Pack, is a part of its sixth generation.

First introduced in the mid-1960s as a revolutionary 4x4, the Bronco quickly achieved cult success, with more than 1.1 million cars manufactured across multiple generations over 31 years of production. With a long-awaited return in 2021 after a 25-year hiatus, it has reclaimed its reputation as a vehicle that can handle almost anything, from technical rock crawling in the desert to scenic coastal cruises and everything in between.

Over the years, the Bronco has grown and evolved alongside its drivers. What started as a simple, utilitarian off-roader has transformed into a lineup featuring advanced EcoBoost powertrains, cutting-edge G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any type of Terrain) modes, and performance-focused suspension, all while staying true to its iconic boxy roots. 

This ability to master any surface is a big reason why the Bronco remains a symbol of outdoor exploration, equally at home as a daily driver or a hardcore companion for those who love to venture far off the beaten path.

Players can also look forward to a selection of factory-inspired exterior colours from the 2023 lineup, including striking options such as Azure Gray, Cactus Gray, Eruption Green, Pepper Red, Velocity Blue, or Yellowstone paint.

We would like to thank Ford for their support in bringing this car to our game. If you are excited to hit the road in the beautiful Bronco Badlands, don't forget to add the Ford Car Pack for American Truck Simulator to your Steam Wishlist!

Also, remember to stay up to date with the latest Road Trip news by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram. Until next time, drive safe!

As the work on the Isle of Ireland DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2 continues, we thought about taking you behind the scenes of our work and showing you more about what a job as a researcher in SCS Software looks like. So today, we bring you an interview with our colleague Adam, who will tell you more about his work on the Isle of Ireland!

Adam joined SCS in 2022, and since then, his primary focus has been on map DLCs for Euro Truck Simulator 2. 

"I've conducted research for the West Balkans, Greece, Nordic Horizons, and the reworks of Switzerland and the Benelux. The UK rework and the Isle of Ireland are the first two projects I've been tasked with overseeing for the Research & Game Development department. The Isle of Ireland is special to me for personal reasons as well, since this is the first time I have the opportunity to collaborate with my brother, who is the map lead for this DLC."

Adam is responsible for ensuring that the department prepares high-quality materials for the Isle of Ireland DLC in a timely manner for the other departments. "These aren't just references for map designers; other specialized departments — such as the vehicle, vegetation, and road design teams — also rely on our work. But I don't do this alone. Our team has experts for all of these various areas. I work alongside many talented and enthusiastic people," Adam explains.

So, how exactly does the process of research for map expansions look? The department's involvement begins long before any actual map building starts, laying the groundwork that shapes everything that follows.

"In the first phase, it was necessary to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the history, culture, natural environment, relevant laws, and traffic regulations. In collaboration with the map lead, we selected the cities we wanted to include in the DLC, and I proposed which highways and roads would connect them. An important part of our work is also figuring out the placement of depots across the map so that the economy works for us. We have a specialist on our team dedicated to this very issue. With her help, and in collaboration with the map lead, we also prepared completely new economy depots for the DLC. We then researched exactly how they work and designed the best way to implement them in our game," Adam says.

Once the planning phase is complete, the team moves on to gathering detailed real-world references, capturing both the big picture and the subtle differences that make each location unique.

"The next step was collecting photographic data, during which our team "scanned" all the roads and towns, shot by shot, trying to capture what is typical for the island. We tried to capture the most important elements, but we also focused on the small details. I also emphasized that different parts of the island vary significantly, and it was necessary to take this into account. As an example, I can mention road markings, which are completely different between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland," he told us.

"The result of this phase of the project is a shortlist of the most important assets, which the asset department creates based on the source materials, so that map designers can subsequently use them to assemble the map. In the same way, and in collaboration with our vegetation specialist, specifications for the vegetation department are then developed," Adam explained to us.

The work of the department goes far beyond general research - it often requires diving deep into highly specific and technical details to ensure authenticity.

"We also need to understand the local culture, customs, and context. As an example, I can mention directional signs, where it was necessary to study manuals, and together with the road department, figure out how to approach the fact that specific dimensions vary from sign to sign - requiring a solution that respects reality while remaining technically feasible. In reality, all dimensions are based on the size of the lowercase letter "x," and once this value is determined, we divide it by 4 to get the so-called "Stroke Width," and all other elements - spacing, arrow size, borders, and the size of the sign itself - are calculated as multiples of this unit. And the size of "x" itself is influenced by the permitted speed and the type of sign."

But their work is far from over, and it won't be finished until the Isle of Ireland DLC is actually released. "We're continuing to prepare materials for the creation of new vehicles, assets, 3D character models, vegetation, and branding. We're also conducting quality checks directly in the editor and gathering all sorts of additional information," Adam told us.

The biggest challenge regarding research for the Isle of Ireland is that it is a vibrant and rapidly developing region, as new developments are constantly being built and the landscape is literally changing in front of your eyes.

"For example, the port of Rosslare underwent a major modernization last year, completely transforming its transportation layout. Waterford, meanwhile, is currently undergoing one of the largest urban transformations in its modern history. As for the architecture, perhaps the biggest challenge was to accurately capture the differences between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as to convey the character of the smaller, charming towns with their picturesque, colorful houses. It's satisfying when I manage to solve a problem and track down information or a reference that’s hard to find," he says.

To bring all that research and planning to life, the map team will carefully translate Ireland's unique character into the in-game world, giving players a lot to explore as they uncover the map filled with plenty of landmarks to discover.

"The Irish island has a rich and complex history and a strong cultural identity, all of which will be reflected in the map's design. The entire island is a landmark in its own right, thanks to its unique scenery, but players can look forward to downtown Dublin on the banks of the River Liffey, the Samson & Goliath cranes in Belfast Harbor, the peat bogs in central Ireland, the wild landscapes of Connemara and the Killarney area, and much more," Adam hints.

And with that, Adam and the whole team would like to send a final message to our #BestCommunityEver as they continue to work hard on bringing you another quality map.

"I hope we'll be able to capture the magical atmosphere of this landscape with its cozy, colorful towns. I hope players will appreciate the attention to detail, discover all sorts of easter eggs, and that we'll be able to convey to them the enthusiasm with which we've approached the Isle of Ireland DLC from the very beginning. I myself am looking forward to getting behind the wheel and driving along the winding roads that twist through the green hills."

We look forward to sharing more news from the Isle of Ireland in the future, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog for upcoming updates. Don't forget to add the expansion to your Steam Wishlist and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Bluesky, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. Until then, happy hauling!

In today's blog, we would like to show you the custom depots and completely new companies you will deliver cargo to and from in our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator, so let's take a look!

Illinois has one of the most diverse economies in the United States and a long history of manufacturing, producing a wide range of goods. It is also a major producer of non-electrical machinery, such as industrial and construction equipment, which is among its most important export industries.

As always, we wanted to reflect the real world when choosing depots for this map expansion, which is why you'll see representations of these industries in our newly created companies, as well as in our established custom depots. One of them is Antlion, a large construction machinery factory in Peoria. From there, you can take vehicles straight from the production line to the new dealer, GroundBreaker, in Quincy.

If you're a fan of boats, you're in for a treat. With Lake Michigan being a popular recreation spot in the state, you'll also be able to transport boats to or from the new Aqua Vista marinas in Marion and Chicago, as well as the already established Rock Port logistics company in Peoria.

And we couldn't forget about the Chicago International Airport, one of the busiest in the whole world. In our game, it's represented by a landmark cargo terminal, carefully recreated to match the real one, where players can load cargo onto aircraft. You will also be able to deliver cargo straight into a massive ULTIMUS transport plane!

In the Missouri DLC, we introduced underground warehouses, which offer an unusual experience of transporting cargo below the surface. Following that, you will be able to find the new UnderCity storage in Chicago, a big underground depot used for storing a wide range of products for the city's needs. Another one can be found near Quincy, a branch of the Terrastore company, which you are already familiar with from Missouri.

Agriculture is just as important to the state as manufacturing. Illinois is home to around 75,000 farms that cover nearly three-quarters of its land. Farmers produce large amounts of soybeans, corn, and dairy products, as well as raising pigs and cattle, helping supply food across the U.S. and around the world. That is why you will find plenty of custom depot farms around the cities of Marion, Champaign, Rockford, and Effingham.

Alongside these farms, you will also come across large Flavorfair grain elevator custom depots in East St. Louis and Quincy. These facilities play an important role in the agricultural supply chain, collecting and storing grain from nearby farms before it is transported onward for processing or distribution.

But that's not all. If you're looking to haul something a bit heavier, be sure to check out the quarries around Chicago and Rockford. You can also head to the custom timber harvest depot near Marion, where logging operations keep a steady supply of timber ready for transport.

If you are eager to visit these industries in the upcoming Illinois DLC, make sure to add this map expansion to your Steam wishlist! 

Remember to stay tuned for more American Truck Simulator news by following us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. We will see you on the road!

We're happy to share that the Open Beta for the 1.59 update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now available for players to try out and test. If you decide to take part in this Open Beta, it would be a huge help if you could report any issues or bugs you may encounter in the appropriate section of our official forums.

Your feedback and reports mean a lot to our team, and we genuinely appreciate the time you are taking to help us improve the game. With that said, let's jump in and explore what the 1.59 Open Beta brings.

Benelux Rework Release

We are happy to reveal that the long-awaited Benelux Rework project will be released in this update! Our assets and map designers have completely rebuilt the whole original map of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg from scratch, delivering a richer, more detailed experience.

Truckers will be able to explore a wide range of revamped major cities and their surroundings, including Amsterdam, Groningen, Rotterdam, Brussels, Liège, and Luxembourg City. Each location has been carefully redesigned to highlight its unique character with plenty of landmarks and details!

You can also look forward to hauling cargo through entirely new locations. These include Antwerp, home to one of Europe's largest container ports; the DAF Trucks facility in Eindhoven, which has been recreated with remarkable detail in close cooperation with our partners at DAF Trucks; as well as key transport corridors - the busy E40 and A2 motorway.

You'll be able to drive from the beautiful hilly landscapes of the Belgian Ardennes to the flat polders and picturesque coastal roads in the northern Netherlands - the reworked Benelux offers a diverse and varied environment that truly reflects the region's look and feel.

Whether you're cruising through dense city centers, navigating busy highways, or discovering scenic country routes, the Benelux region now offers a far more immersive and authentic journey. You can see more from what is coming in our already released blogs on this topic.

Volvo Trucks Experience Center

In partnership with our friends at Volvo Trucks, we are adding the renowned Volvo Trucks Experience Center, situated in Gothenburg, Sweden, to the map, where you will be able to test your trucking skills.

The center's standout feature is its dedicated driving circuit, which incorporates sweeping bends, tighter technical corners, elevation changes, downhill stretches, and varied road layouts. This allows drivers to assess vehicle behaviour in a controlled environment, highlighting stability, braking precision, handling characteristics, and overall driving comfort in ways that go beyond everyday road conditions.

The Volvo Trucks Experience Center has been recreated almost entirely on a 1:1 scale in our map with a strong attention to detail. You will be able to drive the full circuit and explore the surrounding areas of the facility.

To find this amazing facility, you will need to venture around the roads near Gothenburg to discover an entrance that will initially not be shown on your GPS. And remember, since it is located in Sweden, you will need the Scandinavia DLC to be able to visit it. You can read more about this addition here.

Thermo King Update

Thermo King, a global leader in transport temperature control, is coming to Euro Truck Simulator 2 with their trailer refrigeration units! These will replace all the unbranded units we had on our base game and DLC reefer trailers so far. This will add an extra touch of realism when you are hauling temperature-sensitive cargo and spot a famous real-world brand on your trailer.

From the 1.59 update, you will be able to see the Thermo King A-360, A-400, A-500, SLXi 300, and SLXi 400 refrigeration units on the front of your single trailers, which deliver a range of trailer refrigeration performance to suit different transport needs. On top of that, we will also be adding the UT-1400R unit, designed for double-trailer configurations and mounted beneath the trailer. Find out more about this update here.

Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets

We've been closely listening to feedback from our community, and one of the most common points raised in the new route advisor was that many players missed having quick access to information on vehicle damage and finances. While our teams are actively working on the next steps in our broader vision for a redesigned UI in this area, we didn't want to make you wait until that work is complete. Instead, we've prioritized implementing some of the most frequently requested improvements as soon as possible.

Based on that, we've implemented the Damage and Finances widgets. These widgets are designed to restore easy access to information about truck damage, plus trailer and cargo damage, if you are currently driving with a trailer and cargo, as well as your current bank balance, with an average profit over the last seven days displayed too.

These widgets can be turned on and off in the Widget Settings Menu, and if enabled, they will be displayed in the bottom right corner above your GPS.

Tow to Road

The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It will allow drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It will also help prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.

So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road. You can read more about this feature here.

Skills UX Redesign

The Skill Screen has received a visual rework while remaining in its original place within the interface. This update focuses on improving clarity and overall user experience without changing its core functionality.

You can now view both your current skill level and the next step in its progression. Tooltips also allow you to explore other ranks within each skill. Selecting a skill provides improved readability and clearer visual feedback, including a better indication of how many steps remain in that skill's progression path.

Each skill is represented as a clickable button, making it easy to access more detailed information. The redesign also improves navigation when using a controller.

QoL UI/UX Changes

We're continuing to refine the overall user experience with updates focused on readability, clarity, and smoother controller navigation.

The in-game news banner has received a visual refresh to better align with our newer UI style while improving readability. When hovering over a news item, a tooltip will now display a longer excerpt along with a clear call to action. Deactivated news items now feature a clearer status indicator, which also doubles as an activation button.

We're making navigation on the world map more intuitive for controller users. A new "undo last pin" feature has been added, along with remapped controls for adding, removing, setting avoid areas, and resetting pins.

Save handling has also been improved, with new saves now using the standard save icon instead of a black screenshot and overwriting clearly labeled as "Overwrite". Garage upgrade cutscenes can now be skipped more consistently using the (B) button, and the controller navigation has been further refined with improved D-pad accessibility across UI.

Traffic Sound Rework

We've also made some adjustments to traffic audio as part of this update. Sounds have been softened and rebalanced to better match real-world perception, with less emphasis on distant engine noise and more on the subtle "road hiss" of tires. Honking behavior has also been slightly randomized to reduce repetition. Overall, traffic should now feel less intrusive and better integrated into the ambient soundscape.

Height Blend Improvements

We've also made a few improvements to the Height Blend feature. Derived normal maps can now be enabled to help conserve GPU memory, and we've also addressed several graphical issues to ensure more consistent, visually accurate results.

Detour Feature Maintenance

We've decided to temporarily disable the detour feature to focus on maintenance and further development. We've received numerous reports of Detours not functioning as intended, and the current system no longer meets our needs.

As a result, we'll be shutting down detours while we work on improving and upgrading the feature in the background to make it more stable and reliable. Please note that this change only affects detours - random road events will continue to be available in the game.

Changelog

Map

• Benelux Rework Release
• Volvo Trucks Experience Center

Vehicles

• Thermo King Update

UI/UX

• Advisor Update - Finances & Damage Widgets
• Skills UX Redesign
• QoL UI/UX Changes
• Improved News Banner Readability
• World Map Pin Enhancements
• Save Icon Update
• Garage Cutscene Skipping
• D-pad Accessibility Improvements

Visuals

• Height Blend Improvements

Sounds

• Traffic Sound Rework

So enjoy all the new additions, but please remember: It's only an open beta, not a stable public version - so you may encounter bugs, instability, or crashes. It's completely okay if you want to wait for the final release. But if you're interested in helping us to get there faster, we'd appreciate all of your feedback on our forum and your bug reports in the dedicated section.

Please check our modding wiki to get details pertaining to mods for the game.

If you wish to participate in this Open Beta, you can find this version in the Experimental Beta branch on Steam. The way to access it is as follows: Steam client → LIBRARY → right-click on Euro Truck Simulator 2 → Properties → Betas tab → Beta Participation drop-down menu → public_beta. No password is required. Sometimes you will have to restart your Steam client to see the correct branch name there.

Have you been wondering what our Bridge Between Communities blog was teasing last week? Some of you have correctly recognized the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which will bring our community closer together than ever before. And now we are really excited to reveal that our next map expansion for Euro Truck Simulator 2 will take players into the heart of Türkiye, with the...

Soul of Anatolia DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2

This vast, culturally rich region is a land of stunning contrasts, where sunlit coasts meet towering mountains and open plains. From the west's olive groves to the glittering waters of the Mediterranean, a new vista awaits your discovery after every turn.

Transport cargo from the bustling streets of Istanbul all the way to Aksaray, the easternmost point of this expansion. The route begins with engineering marvels as you cross the record-breaking 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, or the impressive Yavuz Sultan Selim and Osmangazi Bridge, each a gateway into Anatolia. At the heart of your journey lies Ankara, the capital city and a vital crossroads of the region. Soon, the road may lead you past the shimmering expanse of Tuz Gölü, or through the vibrant tourist cities of Antalya and Alanya, where grand hotels rely on your cargo deliveries.

Experience the thrill of cruising the beautiful coastal roads in both the north and south, where the sea sparkles just beyond the guardrails, and take on challenging mountain routes with steep climbs, tight turns, and breathtaking views.

We can't wait to start bringing you future updates from this upcoming map expansion as the work on Soul of Anatolia goes on. Just keep in mind that there is a long way ahead to bring this big map to you, and everything you see here is still really much in a work-in-progress state and may change until the DLC is released.

If you are eager to be trucking in this upcoming map expansion and want to show us your excitement, don't forget to support us by adding the Soul of Anatolia DLC to your Steam wishlist.

Also, remember to give our X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and TikTok a follow as you'll receive updates not only about Soul of Anatolia, but also other news from our games straight to your feed. Or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed! Until next time, we will see you on the road.

Some time has passed since our first Road to Consoles Dev Talk, where we took you behind the scenes of our work on bringing Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator to the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. And today, we would like to share our progress since then with the second dev talk!

We know our #BestCommunityEver is eager to hear more news about the development of this project. We are working hard on bringing our games to consoles as soon as possible, but it is a huge task that requires the involvement of multiple departments in SCS Software. Even though there is still a lot of work to be done, we are making progress every day, and we are happy to give you an update on it.

In our second Road to Consoles Dev Talk, we interviewed some of the key members of the involved departments to tell you more about what they are currently working on, what is ahead of us, and also some of the challenges they are dealing with. And our goal is to do everything properly without taking any shortcuts. So without further ado, let's see what the team has been busy with!

We hope you have enjoyed taking a dive behind the scenes of the development process. And don't worry, we're just as excited to share more as you are to hear it, so stay tuned for our next update when we have something new to reveal.

If you're excited to hit the road on consoles, be sure to add ETS2 and ATS to your wishlist on your preferred platform.

We will share more important information about this project once we are ready to reveal it, so don't forget to follow us on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube, so you won't miss out on any news. Or you can sign up for our newsletter to stay informed. Until next time, happy trucking!

Today, we're excited to unveil another piece of the puzzle for the upcoming 1.59 update of Euro Truck Simulator 2. We're proud to announce that Thermo King, a company specializing in temperature control solutions for trucks, trailers, and more, will be joining ETS2 with their trailer refrigeration units as a free update!

Thermo King, a brand of Trane Technologies, has been a global leader in transport temperature control since pioneering the field in 1938. Their solutions cover temperature-controlled systems for vans, trucks, trailers, railcars, and intermodal containers, as well as HVAC products. By maintaining optimal conditions regardless of the environment, their technology protects a wide range of sensitive goods, from fresh and frozen food to pharmaceuticals, electronics, and more.

In Euro Truck Simulator 2, the Thermo King refrigeration units will replace all the unbranded units we had on our base game and DLC reefer trailers so far, adding an extra touch of realism when hauling temperature-sensitive cargo and spotting a famous real-world brand on your trailer.

So, in the 1.59 update, you will be able to see the Thermo King A-360, A-400, A-500, SLXi 300, and SLXi 400 refrigeration units on the front of your single trailers, delivering a range of trailer refrigeration performance to suit different transport needs. On top of that, we will also be adding the UT-1400R unit, designed for double-trailer configurations and mounted beneath the trailer.

We would like to thank Thermo King very much for enabling us to add their refrigeration units to Euro Truck Simulator 2, helping make our game look more realistic! Make sure to follow Thermo King on their Facebook and Instagram to stay updated with all the great work they do.

We hope you will appreciate this new addition when it arrives with the 1.59 update. Don't forget to stay tuned for more news from our games by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, safe travels!

We are happy to reveal a new feature that will be available in both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator with the upcoming release of the 1.59 update - the Tow to Road service. Let's take a look at how it will work!

The Tow to Road feature was designed to improve the overall quality of life for players by reducing frustrating situations during gameplay. It will allow drivers to quickly recover if their truck overturns or gets stuck in a ditch or uneven terrain. It will also help prevent disruptions in multiplayer sessions, enabling players to continue with their convoy when they find themselves stuck, without the need to be towed to a service location, which could cause unnecessary delays.

So when you are in a difficult situation, you can simply find the new "Tow to Road" button under the Service menu (set to F7 by default). After paying a small fee for the towing service, you will be transported to your last safe location on the road.

Just be careful that if you disconnect your trailer beforehand, it will remain in its original position, and only the truck will be towed. Also, if you move too far away from your last safe position on the road, the Tow to Road function may become unavailable to prevent misuse of the feature.

And don't worry, we are keeping the Tow to Service feature as well, as it serves a different purpose. Tow to Service is intended for situations involving heavy vehicle damage, where driving is no longer possible, and repairs are required. Tow to Road, on the other hand, is primarily used to quickly return the vehicle to a drivable position on the road.

We hope you will appreciate this new feature coming with the 1.59 update, which might help you quickly get back on the road when you are stuck, but without the need to be towed to service.

Don't forget to stay tuned for more news from the upcoming 1.59 update by following us on our X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We would also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter. Until next time, happy travels!