I tried American Truck Simulator’s cars, and now I can’t wait for more

When American Truck Simulator confirmed it would be making cars, and licensed ones at that, the Traxion team was simultaneously bemused and intrigued.

Firstly, the SCS Software development team do an exemplary job at simulating truck driving and replicating real-world vehicles accurately. So, naturally, we expected the cars to be exacting in their detail.

But what would you do with them in-sim? It’s not like a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat is used to haul freight or diggers around, is it?

It transpires that a whole new gameplay loop has been created, dubbed the Atlas system, which was detailed in recent weeks. Which leads us to Gamescom, where, when trying the new Thrustmaster SimTask Truck-40 wheel, we had a brief and surprise hands-on with a car in ATS.

This upcoming downloadable content sits under a ‘Road Trip’ umbrella, with two available packs. One for Ford cars and one for Dodge and RAM cars. There’s no release date yet, although alongside Coaches for sibling title Euro Truck Simulator 2, they seemed polished already based on this particular work-in-progress build.

I was able to drive the Ford F-150 truck. That’s ‘truck’ in the pick-up truck sense, not HGV sense.

Using only a keyboard as my control device, I was able to cruise the highways near, and drive through the city of San Francisco. The high-torque engine under the hood burbled authentically, the interior looked detailed and even the reversing camera was functional.

I was able to reach highway speeds too, something I did wonder how the slow-paced game would handle. In terms of the driving, with aplomb, as it transpires. Collisions at rates ATS isn’t used to, however, are a little clumsy (presently), with slightly odd recactions.

One element to keep an eye on come the final release, especially as the F-150 isn’t anywhere near the quickest vehicle in development.

No matter, I was on my journey to deliver an Amazon-style package and on my route I also used Atlas to set a sub-task of visiting a particular area of San Fran to discover a Tourist Board.

Upon arriving at the location, I used the aforementioned reversing camera to line up inside a green box, switched off the Ford’s engine and unlocked part of a postcard (one of six) to a satisfying chime and unlock screen.

This is the main appeal, based on this limited test, of Road Trip. There’s progression, structure and that ever-so-alluring sensation of completion. There, in that moment, inside a sweaty German exhibition hall, I wanted to play on. To unlock more. I could see upcoming calendar invites being snubbed as I tried to find the rest of the Tourist Boards, Viewpoints and Photo trophies the sim has to offer. Or customise my rides.

But, alas, my time was up, and I needed to make a move to my next Gamescom appointment.

At first glance, SCS has managed to not only create cars, which have a novelty factor for a truck simulation, but a rewarding structure around them. No mean feat. We’re counting down the days until we can explore further.