Nestled along the majestic Mississippi River, the city of Quincy is full of rich history, stunning architecture, vibrant arts, and beautiful nature. Let's see what it looks like in our upcoming Illinois map expansion for American Truck Simulator!
The seat of Adams County is located on the western side of the Prairie State, right on the border with Missouri. Quincy is also called the Gem City, and it's no wonder, as it features beautiful parks, a scenic riverfront, historic neighborhoods with some of the most stunning houses in the country, and a vibrant downtown.
We just couldn't leave out some of those wonderful buildings found in Quincy and decided to make them as landmarks, recreating them to faithfully represent how you can find them in the real world. These include the historic boat club building, the architecturally stunning church in the city center, the local community center, the museum, the marina, and the water treatment facility. As previously mentioned, the town is home to some lovely parks, so our map team has made sure to include Washington Park right in the heart of the city.
And of course, both the Bayview Bridge and the Memorial Bridge which span the Mississippi River and connect the city to Missouri have also been recreated. Near those bridges, you can also come across a sculpture, a small detail breathing in a little more realism into our recreation of Quincy.
Regarding the industries that truckers can find in this city, there will be plenty to choose from when you are looking for a job! You will be able to deliver in and out of a home improvement store, a parking lot construction site, a garden center, a factory producing superstructures for pickup trucks and similar vehicles, and a grain elevator. You'll also come across two other depots, one of them brand new and currently in development, specifically for this map expansion. We won't spoil the surprise just yet, so stay tuned for future blog posts!
We are excited to share with you that the 1.55 Update for Euro Truck Simulator 2 is now released and available on Steam! Let's take a look at all the features you will encounter in this update.
First of all, we would like to thank everyone in our #BestCommunityEver who took part in the Open Beta phase and helped us by reporting bugs on our forums. It really made it much easier for us to fine-tune the update and make it ready for the full release.
Driving Academy - Truck Driving Proficiency
This new Driving Academy module, called Truck Driving Proficiency, will introduce a set of much more challenging scenarios, which will test even the most skilled drivers to the limit. For this new module and set of scenarios, we will also introduce a new reward system. The most important thing is still to precisely complete a scenario by driving along the designated path and avoiding any collisions.
Players will also be able to achieve up to 3 collectable stars in this module, which can be earned by meeting additional conditions such as only using the interior camera, limiting gear shifts between drive and reverse, or completing the scenario in the set time. To really test your skills, you won't find any pre-recorded video tutorials, and you will have to use all the knowledge we taught you in our first module of Driving Academy.
We've also prepared new, exciting rewards that players can use on the same profile in the base game! As you may know, finishing the first module grants a blue traffic cone cabin accessory and a customizable Driving Academy truck paint job. Completing all Truck Driving Proficiency scenarios unlocks an orange traffic cone accessory, while earning 3 stars in every scenario adds a matching trailer paint job and a golden traffic cone, giving your truck and trailer the full Driving Academy look.
Asynchronous Loading
We have been hard at work implementing a major overhaul in the way our game loads and processes data, a new system we call Asynchronous Loading. This system is designed to improve the loading process by ensuring that the game and loading screens remain uninterrupted while assets are loaded in the background. The primary benefit here is the mitigation of stuttering, resulting in a smoother experience overall.
We'd like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who shared their feedback during both the Experimental and Open Beta phases. Your input played a key role in helping us refine this system, and we're excited to share that Asynchronous Loading is now fully implemented with the release of the 1.55 update!
FH Tuning Pack DLC Update
The FH Tuning Pack DLC will now be fully compatible with the Volvo FH Series 6 as well, so you'll be able to customize every Volvo FH truck with a wide range of tuning parts. But that's not all, as we are also improving several current components, introducing new customization options, along with paintable parts.
You will be able to pick the front badge plate, rear fender top, front mask, and front grille bottom in chrome, while the decal, windshield frame, front badge plate, rear fender, rear fender top, and more are now paintable!
Custom City Intros for the Vive la France ! DLC
We have reworked all of the in-game intros for every city in France with an ownable garage, both in the base game and the Vive la France ! DLC. A total of 21 cities have received new or updated Custom City Intros.
Mail UX Redesign
The mail screen has been reworked to provide a cleaner layout and a smoother navigation experience. Messages are now displayed in a two-column format, with a scrollable list on the left and an enlarged message view on the right for better readability. Messages load from the top, and when the list gets longer, intuitive paging helps keep things tidy. Navigation has been improved across all input methods, and embedded links or actions can now be accessed directly from the message content.
Options QoL Improvements
In this update, we've added a small but useful quality-of-life improvement to the graphics settings menu. You'll now see example screenshots next to various settings, giving you a better idea of how each option affects the game's visuals.
Whether you're tweaking things for smoother performance or aiming for the best possible look, these previews should make it easier to find the right balance for your setup.
Map Improvements - "My Location" Hotkey
We are adding a "My Location" hotkey as part of our map improvements. When pressed, it instantly centers the game map on the player's current location. We hope you find this small addition useful on the road!
Change of Steam Achievements
Our team is working around the clock on engine updates, many of which are not visible during regular gameplay. Some of these are visible instantly, such as new light systems, but we also need to work on changes that are not normally visible when you play.
Updating the achievement system gives us foundations that will allow us to make different and new types of achievements, as well as manage existing ones that often rely on different DLCs and regions. As a part of that, we have a new system coming out in 1.55.
Along with this new system, some small changes were made to existing achievements and their goals to prepare us for any changes future developments may bring. If you would like to share any feedback about this, you can do so on our forums.
Changelog
Gameplay
Driving Academy - Truck Driving Proficiency
Map improvements - "My Location" hotkey
Vehicles
FH Tuning Pack DLC Update for Volvo FH Series 6
Visual
Custom city intros for Vive la France ! DLC
Mail UX redesign
Options QoL Improvements - Graphics settings visualisation
Other
Steam achievements update with text and icon improvements
On your journey through American Truck Simulator’s upcoming Louisiana DLC, you won’t just be visiting major cities, you’ll also pass through quaint, rural towns full of Southern charm. Today, we’re shining a spotlight on some of these smaller communities you’ll be able to drive through or stop at along the way.
Winnfield
Located in northern Louisiana, Winnfield offers drivers a glimpse of classic Southern town life. Drivers passing through can spot local landmarks such as the Winn Parish Courthouse, a prominent building with traditional brickwork. Nearby, you can also find the town's Post Office and the First Baptist Church, which stands out with its tall and modern freestanding steeple. This town has long been shaped by its forestry industry and regional rail links, which once played a key role in its development.
Mansfield
Mansfield, Louisiana is a quiet town with deep regional roots, developed as a local hub for agriculture and trade and shaped by its position along historic travel routes. Drivers can spot several key landmarks along the way, including the De Soto School, the local bank, and the First United Methodist Church, established in 1847. The town is also known for its historical significance, with a major Civil War battle having taken place nearby.
Oberlin
Oberlin, Louisiana is a small town with big historical character. As you roll through, keep an eye out for the Allen Parish Courthouse, built in 1912 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the Oberlin City Hall just down the road. Surrounded by pine forests and bayous, Oberlin offers a quick but memorable glimpse of classic Louisiana charm on your journey.
Cameron
Along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, Cameron offers a striking shift in scenery. Located in an area frequently affected by hurricanes, this area has a rugged and weathered look. You’ll notice buildings raised on stilts, which is a practical solution for storm surges and flooding, along with visible storm damage in parts of town. Key landmarks include the Cameron Parish Library, a local school, and a bank set among shipyards and industrial lots. With boats docked nearby and storage yards along the road, Cameron has a coastal, working-town character that stands apart from inland settlements.
Tallulah
Cruising through northeastern Louisiana, drivers will find themselves surrounded by the golden patchwork of cotton, corn, soybeans, rice, and wheat fields, which surround Tallulah. Known for its deep farming roots, this scenic town showcases the agricultural heartbeat of the region. Along the way, you’ll catch sight of local landmarks like the First Baptist Church and the Madison Parish Courthouse, adding a touch of small-town charm to the open road.
Looking forward to exploring and delivering in Louisiana for American Truck Simulator? Then be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist! We can’t wait to share more development news about this upcoming map expansion. To stay up to date, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on our official social media channels. Until next time, keep on truckin’!
We’re excited to share with our community that the 1.55 update for American Truck Simulator is now officially released! This update brings new content, implementations, fixes, quality of life improvements, and more. Let’s dive in and take a look at what’s in store.
We’d also like to give a huge shoutout to everyone who participated in the Open Beta, shared feedback, and reported bugs. Your invaluable contributions have helped us fine tune the content and fix issues that initially slipped through the cracks. We hope that you will enjoy the new features, changes, and more that come with this update.
Driving Academy - Truck Driving Proficiency
This new Driving Academy module, called Truck Driving Proficiency, will introduce a set of much more challenging scenarios, which will test even the most skilled drivers to the limit. For this new module and set of scenarios, we will also introduce a new reward system. The most important thing is still to precisely complete a scenario by driving along the designated path and avoiding any collisions.
Players will also be able to achieve up to 3 collectable stars in this module, which can be earned by meeting additional conditions such as only using the interior camera, limiting gear shifts between drive and reverse, or completing the scenario in the set time. To really test your skills, you won't find any pre-recorded video tutorials, and you will have to use all the knowledge we taught you in our first module of Driving Academy.
We've also prepared new, exciting rewards that players can use on the same profile in the base game! As you may know, finishing the first module grants a blue traffic cone cabin accessory and a customizable Driving Academy truck paint job. Completing all Truck Driving Proficiency scenarios unlocks an orange traffic cone accessory, while earning 3 stars in every scenario adds a matching trailer paint job and a golden traffic cone, giving your truck and trailer the full Driving Academy look.
Asynchronous Loading
We have been hard at work implementing a major overhaul in the way our game loads and processes data, a new system we call Asynchronous Loading. This system is designed to improve the loading process by ensuring that the game and loading screens remain uninterrupted while assets are loaded in the background. The primary benefit here is the mitigation of stuttering, resulting in a smoother experience overall.
We’d like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who shared their feedback during both the Experimental and Open Beta phases. Your input played a key role in helping us refine this system, and we’re excited to share that Asynchronous Loading is now fully implemented with the release of the 1.55 update!
Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Update
A range of new accessories and improvements have been made to the Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia. From a paintable airdam and sunvisor to chrome mirror and filter options, you’ll have more ways than ever to personalize your truck’s look. Inside the cabin, you can now choose from updated tan, grey, or the newly added black interiors, along with either a classic or modern dashboard layout, bringing the total to six interior variants per sleeper!
Exterior updates include refinements to the 72" sleeper side walls, improved blind spot sensors compatible with both traditional and digital mirrors, and revised camera arms with more accurate turn indicator behavior. We've also smashed some bugs along with this update too!
You can check out the full list of changes and additions at this blogpost.
Kenworth T680 Update
The Kenworth T680 is getting an update! First released in December 2023 to celebrate Kenworth’s 100th anniversary, the truck was developed on an accelerated schedule with help from Kenworth’s team. Now, we’re expanding its customization options to give players even more control over how their truck looks and performs.
Players will be able to choose between three cab variants as we are adding the 52" Mid-Roof and the 76" High-Roof, offering more flexibility and personality on the road. The chassis lineup will expand by seven configurations, including 6x4 options for all cabs in both short and long hood versions, as well as 4x2 setups specifically for day cabs.
A total of 20 interior variants will be added: eight for the 76" High-Roof cab and eight for the 52" Mid-Roof, each in both single and double bunk layouts, plus four tailored for the day cab. Every interior will come in Diamond VIT and Vantage trims, with stylish Tan and Grey color options.
Under the hood, drivers will have even more options, as we are adding seven powerful engine variants from the Cummins X12 and X15 series, and also five new transmission options to match their driving style. To top it off, all paint jobs, including those from DLCs, are now fully compatible with the T680. Whether you're going for style, performance, or both, the updated T680 offers everything you need to create your perfect rig.
Check out the full dedicated blog to read about all the changes and updates coming with this update here!
New additional content for the Nebraska DLC
New roads ahead! We're happy to share that with 1.55, a free update has rolled out for all owners of the Nebraska DLC.
This addition expands the northeastern corner of the state with three key highways; The US-20, US-75, and US-81. On these new routes, drivers can discover a new truck stop, a weigh station, and several scenic landmarks.
You’ll also now be able to travel through the settlement of Laurel, offering a slice of small-town charm rooted in farming heritage. Whether you're just free-roaming or passing through with a delivery nearby, there's even more reason to revisit the Cornhusker State.
We’re excited to introduce a new free cargo addition to the Farm Machinery DLC, the Windrower! This essential piece of agricultural equipment is used to gather and align crops into neat rows for drying and harvesting, and now it’s your job to haul it where it’s needed most.
The Windrower will be available on the job market in two color variants: a classic green and a yellow version branded with OWL, one of our in-game farming equipment manufacturers. Designed for lowboy trailers, it’s a wide and impressive load that brings more variety to your agricultural deliveries.
You can find the full details about this updatehere.
FlowBelow Painted Parts
We're introducing a visual enhancement for select trucks featuring FlowBelow aerodynamic parts in American Truck Simulator. These drive wheel closeouts, designed to improve fuel efficiency and airflow, now come with the option to be paintable.
This means players can now customize these components to match their truck’s color scheme, creating a more polished and unified appearance. Whether you're aiming for a clean fleet aesthetic or giving your rig a show truck vibe, we’re confident this small update will help you tailor your truck even more to your personal style.
Don’t forget to share your fresh paint jobs with us on our social media channels! Custom City Intros for New Mexico DLC
With this update, New Mexico has received several new Custom City Intros! These special cutscenes play when a player selects a starting city while creating a new profile.
You’ll now find these intros available for the following cities in New Mexico:
Farmington
Las Cruces
Roswell
Santa Fe
We hope that new players, or those starting afresh, will enjoy these additions, which showcase the area where your journey begins!
Mail UX Redesign
The mail screen has been reworked to provide a cleaner layout and a smoother navigation experience. Messages are now displayed in a two-column format, with a scrollable list on the left and an enlarged message view on the right for better readability. Messages load from the top, and when the list gets longer, intuitive paging helps keep things tidy. Navigation has been improved across all input methods, and embedded links or actions can now be accessed directly from the message content.
Options QoL Improvements
In this update, we’ve added a small but useful quality-of-life improvement to the graphics settings menu. You’ll now see example screenshots next to various settings, giving you a better idea of how each option affects the game’s visuals.
Whether you're tweaking things for smoother performance or aiming for the best possible look, these previews should make it easier to find the right balance for your setup.
Map Improvements - "My Location" Hotkey
We are adding a "My Location" hotkey as part of our map improvements. When pressed, it instantly centers the game map on the player's current location. We hope you find this small addition useful on the road!
Change of Steam Achievements
Our team is working around the clock on engine updates, many of which are not visible during regular gameplay. Some of these are visible instantly, such as new light systems, but we also need to work on changes that are not normally visible when you play.
Updating the achievement system gives us foundations that will allow us to make different and new types of achievements, as well as manage existing ones that often rely on different DLCs and regions. As a part of that, we have a new system coming out in 1.55.
Along with this new system, some small changes were made to existing achievements and their goals to prepare us for any changes future developments may bring. If you would like to share any feedback about this, you can do so on our forums.
Changelog
Gameplay
Driving Academy - Truck Driving Proficiency
Map Improvements - "My Location" Hotkey
Map
New additional content for the Nebraska DLC - US-20, US-81, US-75 & the settlement of Laurel
Vehicles
Fifth Generation Freightliner Cascadia Update
Kenworth T680 Update
FlowBelow Painted Parts
Farm Machinery DLC Update
Visual
Custom city intros for New Mexico DLC
Mail UX redesign
Options QoL Improvements - Graphics settings visualisation
Other
Steam achievements update with text and icon improvements
