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To drive a car in American Truck Simulator (ATS), own the Road Trip: Ford DLC, switch to Car Mode while you are out of a vehicle, then press Drive. Choose and configure your car through the in-game desktop’s Car Dealer tab. Your steering, throttle, brake, and transmission controls depend on your own bindings, so check the game’s controls settings rather than relying on a universal key list.
What you need before driving a car
SCS Software released Road Trip: Ford on September 29, 2026. The DLC unlocks Car Mode and four personal Ford cars: the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback, 2023 Ford F-150, 2023 Ford Bronco, and a Ford Crown Victoria from the 1998–2012 model range. See the official Road Trip: Ford page for the DLC details. Check the store listing for current availability and purchase terms; no price is needed to use the steps below.
How to switch to Car Mode and start driving
- Get out of your current vehicle. You can manage another mode when you are not driving. ATS permits only one active job across modes at a time. See SCS Software’s mode-switching explanation.
- Select Car Mode. Use the game’s mode selection while out of the vehicle.
- Press Drive to complete the switch. Selecting the mode alone does not finish the transition. Navigation initially remains tied to the last mode you drove; the selected mode’s systems activate once you drive.
- Choose your personal car. Open the in-game desktop and select the Car Dealer tab. Choose a car and configure it with available accessories and paint options. SCS describes the Car Dealer and vehicle customization in its Road Trip: Ford launch announcement.
- Check your input bindings. Look in the game’s controls settings for the bindings assigned to steering, acceleration, braking, and transmission. The official project page describes varied control schemes, but does not establish one universal set of car-control keys or buttons. Do not assume truck bindings or a particular wheel’s compatibility; consult the official ATS page and your own settings.
What you can do in Car Mode
Explore with Atlas
Open the in-game desktop’s Navigation tab and use Atlas to select a Tourist Board as your route destination. Reaching it reveals nearby exploration locations. When Road Trip: Ford launched, Atlas and Tourist Boards were available in California and the Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota map expansions. SCS said it planned to add the remaining states gradually, so availability may have changed since launch. The Ford DLC also allows its owner to use Atlas while driving a truck. See the launch announcement and SCS’s Atlas overview.
Take small delivery jobs
Car Mode supports small deliveries through Quick Jobs or the Dispatch Market. These provide an alternative to free exploration when you want a job to structure a drive.
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Drive with friends in Convoy
Cars can join trucks on highways in multiplayer Convoy. The mode supports driving together, whether each player chooses a car or a truck.
How Car Mode relates to your truck career
Car Mode has its own career progression, based on reputation rather than traditional experience points. Money and map exploration are shared between modes. The map can show where your other vehicles are, and switching modes resumes each vehicle at its last location. Cars are not subject to Mandatory Breaks, but your Rest State is shared across modes. SCS summarizes the separation this way: “Each mode has its own gameplay, progression, and career systems.” — SCS Software, September 25, 2026.
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- Navigate the open road as you encounter different landscapes and interesting locations
Which car or activity should you choose?
| Choice | Best fit |
|---|---|
| 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback | Choose this if you want the classic Mustang option. |
| 2023 Ford F-150 | Choose this if you want a modern Ford pickup. |
| 2023 Ford Bronco | Choose this if you want a modern Bronco. |
| 1998–2012 Ford Crown Victoria | Choose this if you want the Crown Victoria option from that model range. |
| Atlas | Use it to explore and reveal nearby locations around Tourist Boards. |
| Quick Jobs or Dispatch Market | Use these for small delivery activities. |
| Convoy | Choose this to drive alongside friends in cars and trucks. |
The official materials confirm varied control schemes, but do not identify a preferred keyboard, controller, or wheel setup or confirm compatibility for specific wheel models. A steering wheel is optional; use the controls settings to verify that your chosen input method is configured in your copy of ATS.
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- Ca. 6000 km of motorway and 600 km of country road, to a scale of 1:10
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