American Truck Simulator adding scenic Yosemite drive

So far, American Truck Simulator has encouraged safe and legal driving. Don't speed, don't crash, don't run red lights, don't drive through protected forests. But I have longed for the game to be a little flexible with rules of the road in the name of a pleasant drive and my dream is coming true. The next update will add a new road venturing into a place where commercial trucking is forbidden, driving through a national park just because. The new route goes through Yosemite National Park along the winding Tioga Pass, and it looks lovely.

The new road coming free with update 1.31 is the Tioga Pass, driving along California State Route 120 through a section of Yosemite National Park.

"Commercial trucking through Yosemite is prohibited," The Man says. SCS Software do not care what The Man says. To hell with The Man.

But why now? Why haven't we been driving trucks through campsites, into supermarkets, along Hollywood Boulevard, and down the bottom of the Grand Canyon? SCS explained in today's blog post:

"With the scale of our worlds compared to reality, we simply have to focus on major road arteries to form the road network. There is usually not enough room to even think about squeezing in any lesser roads. But we enjoy making exceptions and based on feedback from our fan community, so do the players. We have noticed a bit of empty space next to the Sierra Nevada, did a little research, and felt that it would be a great opportunity for one of our new map designers to cut his teeth designing a pass across the mountain range. There was just one small problem - typically commercial trucking is restricted in US national parks! Still, this region is so scenic and the task was so tempting, we decided to give it a go, and to find an excuse in the game for allowing the player to travel across the mountain pass."

I am so up for the game bending the rules to drive along more scenic routes. Thanks, new map designer.

Yes, obviously I am still crossing my fingers and toes and wishing with every wishbone in my body for a detour through the redwoods down the Avenue of the Giants. I know it'll never happen, but you can't take the dream from me.

SCS tease that they have more little fleshing-out routes in the pipeline, "especially in Europe later this year".

As for big additions, the next ATS expansion will drive into Oregon and Euro Truck Sim 2 is off around the Baltic sea in its next. Oh! And our Adam will talk to two of the Truck Sim fellas on stage during EGX Rezzed in April. ASK THEM ABOUT THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, ADAM.