American Truck Simulator news 57

Update 1.40 for American Truck Simulator brings new content for the Western Star 49X: two types of sleeper cabs, 30 chassis options in 6x2, 6x4, 8x4, 8x6 axle configurations, and 5 cabs for front/rear axles. 
Additionally, new bumper settings, hood mirrors, mudguards, grilles, gearboxes, and new interior color options are available.

Finally, the American Truck Simulator community can participate in the open beta test of the major 1.40 update. This is only an initial version of the update, and not all features of the upcoming update are available in the beta test. You can also join the beta test to report bugs and help the developers. However, keep in mind that the update is quite large, and many available mods will stop working.
New Lighting
The developers have spoken many times about the new lighting system. In version 1.40, players will be able to see the result of this long and diligent work. It is a whole new lighting system: dynamic and very beautiful. The system changes lighting depending on where you are, the weather conditions, and other similar factors.
To ensure the new lighting system works correctly, a huge amount of work was done on the models and textures of some in-game objects. Immerse yourself even deeper into the game world with the new system!
Expanded Chassis Update
According to the game developers, many players requested an expanded range of chassis for the already available truck models. Finally, the developers decided to listen and, as a gift for the game's fifth anniversary, added this feature. 
Players will have access to long and short chassis in many variations. Adapt your truck for the job. 4x2, 8x4, and 8x6 chassis types are available. The list:
Freightliner Cascadia: Day cab 4x2Mack Anthem: Day cab 4x2International LoneStar: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4Peterbilt 389: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6Volvo VNL: Day cab 4x2, Day cab & Sleepers 8x4Peterbilt 579: Day cab 4x2Kenworth W900: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6Kenworth T680: Day cab 4x2Western Star 49X: Day cab & Sleepers 8x4 & 8x6
Western Star 49X
The Western Star 49X will also receive improvements. This truck will get sleeper cab options (two new ones in total). In addition, the truck will receive a huge number of different options. But the most important thing is the 36 possible combinations of chassis, cab, and fuel tank. The developers talked about all the possibilities of this truck during live streams on several platforms: Twitch, YouTube, and Steam. The stream can be watched at any time.
With the new update, new camera points are also available in the game. These camera points can be reviewed or skipped. New camera points are available for Oregon as well as New Mexico.
To participate in the open beta test, you need to have a licensed copy of the game on Steam. Go to Steam, open your library, and follow the instructions:
In the library, right-click on American Truck Simulator;Go to “Properties”;Go to the “Betas” tab;Select the public_beta option;Choose 1.40;Save and wait for the download. 

Wyoming is an incredible state, captivating with its dangerous beauty. Since the Wyoming expansion update for American Truck Simulator is coming soon, it makes sense to take a look at the key industries of this region. 
It is important to understand that all aspects of the state are still under development. This means they are not yet finished, and the final appearance may differ from what can currently be seen in the screenshots, and the functionality may change and improve. The screenshots show markers of various colors. Green indicates trailers with jobs. Additionally, depending on the color of the marker, you can determine how difficult the parking is. If the color is red – the parking is of maximum difficulty, and yellow indicates medium difficulty. 
It is a known fact that Wyoming is one of the least populated states in all of America. For this reason, there are large areas of undeveloped land in this state, where there simply are no big houses or other buildings. Such lands are ideal for agricultural activities. Wyoming will feature Livestock auction houses. This new industry is used for selling and exporting all kinds of livestock, including beef, in the production of which Wyoming excels. 
It is no secret that in Wyoming (and throughout the USA) locomotives and trains play a very important role. With the new American Truck Simulator update, you will also be able to participate in an important task involving train maintenance, as trains are the connecting link for the entire United States. Truck drivers will be able to contribute by delivering important parts for trains, and of course – you will need to pick up cargo from the railway station and deliver it to the destination.
Wyoming has another very important industry – mining. This industry can confidently be called the most important for the entire economy of this region. In the new update, you will be able to visit a new location – a mine for extracting soda ash. 
In addition to all of the above, drivers will be able to visit various quarries and chemical production plants. New jobs and new cargoes for delivery will be available there, so boredom is definitely not an option. Most importantly – drivers are not allowed near active mining sites, so the risk is minimal. If you visit the quarries, you can find dump trucks. And yes, you can also get behind the wheel of a dump truck. 
The industries listed above are far from all, according to the developers. In fact, there will be many more industries. We are waiting for more information. 

Today the developers officially announced the development of a new DLC dedicated to Texas, which was showcased during the Christmas livestream.
The Lone Star State, the second largest state in the USA both by area and population, will offer many unique attractions: from cities to coastal beaches, mountains, and deserts. Texas is diverse both geographically and culturally. The state is also the best for running your own business. It has the second largest economy after California. Numerous jobs, factories, and corporations.
Texas is also one of the best states in the USA for doing business! It boasts the second largest economy in the USA after California, with a huge number of companies and industries. There are many jobs, from livestock farming to energy and aerospace, so drivers deliver goods here year-round.
SCS has confirmed that this DLC for American Truck Simulator will be available this year. Alongside this expansion, the team is also working on another state.
Looking forward to the news!

Finally, the long-awaited release of patch 1.40 for ATS has arrived. Long days of development and testing are behind us. Undoubtedly, there will still be minor patches, but the main work on the update is complete, and the developers are ready to give players the opportunity to enjoy a major update!
Lighting System
Perhaps the biggest change is the new lighting system. So many articles have been written about it, so much work has been done – and it was all worth it. Many textures and systems in the game were reworked to implement this system. Thanks to this system, the graphics in the game reach a whole new level. Now you will enjoy your journey, a dynamic lighting system, improved shadows, and other cool effects!
This is not the final version of the lighting system, and further refinements and improvements will be made in this regard. The developers have announced this. But for now, the system is in a more than presentable state, so enjoy it. Let us remind you that beta testing has ended. However, players still have the opportunity to report issues to the developers, which increases the likelihood of fixing certain bugs. 
New Chassis Options
The developers previously announced new types of chassis, and now they are available in the game. Short and long chassis, a wide selection for every taste. Currently, 3 types are available (but in total 9 extended variants): 4x2, 8x4, and 8x6. But what do the new chassis types offer? It’s simple!
The new chassis types give you completely new possibilities. The most vivid example is the 8x6, which is perfect for transporting practically any cargo, any load. As mentioned above, there are 9 chassis extensions in total: including variants with standard cabs, sleeper cabs, and so on.
Western Star 49x
The WS 49X vehicle has been overhauled in the new update. This vehicle has a wide variety of upgrade options: 36 chassis variants, fuel tanks, individual customization of various parts, sleeper configurations, and much more! You will be able to perfectly tailor this vehicle to your needs. In addition to the standard configuration types, the WS 49x now also has three new gearboxes. 
Viewpoints
We are all already familiar with the viewpoint system in ATS. This system was already implemented in the game, but with the new update, new viewpoints are available. Thus, players will be able to unlock new viewpoints in Oregon and New Mexico. 
When a viewpoint is activated, a short cutscene begins. There is an option to skip cutscenes. Additionally, there is an option to replay the scene if you accidentally skipped it or want to watch a beautiful mini-overview of the area again. 
Other Changes
There are also minor changes. There are quite a few of them; the main changes are described above. Certain changes have been made to the interface, namely:
The vehicle adjustment menu has received a number of improvements. This menu opens with the F4 key. A full text search for cities or companies when selecting a job has been added. 

The developers of American Truck Simulator have shared information about one of their upcoming DLCs, focusing on industry and contracts. Among all sectors, the mining industry receives special attention. The USA is one of the largest consumers of coal. However, despite this fact, they are also a major exporter of coal, ranking among the top five leaders.
In the new DLC, players will be able to visit a coal mine called Black Thunder. This is not the only mine that can be seen in the game, but it was highlighted specifically because Black Thunder is one of the largest in the world. In the new DLC, players will have the opportunity to assist mining industry workers. For example, they can deliver parts for mining dump trucks, transport coal, and more.
But it’s not just about coal. The USA is a vast country, and there are large sources of soda ash and other resources. The USA has a lot of trona, which is used in many aspects of everyday life. You can help transport the necessary resources, deliver materials needed for work, cargo, and more.   

The developers of American Truck Simulator have shared information about their plans to completely rebuild California. This has become possible thanks to the expansion of the map-building team, which allowed them to work on a larger number of projects with proper effort. Here are some details that the developers promised to overhaul in the upcoming California rework update:
The first thing to be redone will be all the cities. The global reconstruction will allow the cities to be rebuilt according to their current realities, so they match their real-life counterparts.From the first point, it is clear that new objects will be added, and in large quantities. Agricultural management is moving to a new level, which implies new control points.The road surface will also undergo rework.
Equally important, the new update will be completely free if you already own the game. However, the ATS developers do not want to release everything in one big update, so there will be stages, and medium-sized updates will be released gradually. The date is unknown; the developers have a huge amount of work ahead, but as soon as there is an approximate date, they will definitely announce it.
They specifically highlighted new border control points. This means that now drivers with cargo will have to undergo inspection. This is done to combat pests, so the first thing will be checking the cargo for contamination. In addition, proper documentation will be required. Everything works as simply as possible – drivers receive a notification, stop, the inspection takes place, and only after that is the green light given.
That’s all the information the developers shared. We await further updates!