Passenger Satisfaction: Bringing People into Euro Truck Simulator 2
We’re no strangers to hauling freight, but coaches introduce a very different responsibility: transporting people. In the forthcoming Coaches module for Euro Truck Simulator 2, a new Passenger Satisfaction system will be central to the experience — rewarding considerate driving and penalizing rough handling.
To explain the concept, we spoke with game designer Vojtěch P., who has overseen this feature’s development since February. He recalls how his creative interests led him to SCS Software: “I’ve always been drawn to visual work. Over time I shifted from graphic design to illustration, animation, and indie games — which eventually brought me to SCS, where I hope to continue contributing for a long time.”
“As a game designer at SCS I’m almost obsessively invested in shaping both the visual and mechanical sides of the game,” he adds. Since joining, Vojtěch has worked on the Gallery redesign, Photo Trophies, and the Driving Academy — slipping in small extras for players along the way. His current focus is on UX, UI, and the new Passenger Satisfaction mechanics.
“Passenger satisfaction is a familiar idea from other titles, including our own Bus Driver,” Vojtěch explains. The system encourages smooth, courteous driving: avoid harsh braking, abrupt turns, and traffic infractions to keep passengers comfortable. While the basic mechanics aren’t revolutionary, they meaningfully change how you approach each trip and add a fresh layer of challenge.
Note: everything shown and described here remains a work in progress and may change before release.
“We compute satisfaction individually for each passenger, and each has a different sensitivity,” he continues. “Some passengers hardly react, while others take even mild braking to heart. They also board with varying moods, so your job is to improve their disposition by the next stop.” The system gives players a clear objective: elevate passenger mood via steady driving. Perfect sections between stops grant a bonus that contributes to overall satisfaction.
Introducing passengers changes the driving dynamic significantly. “Driving with people aboard feels distinct — you must be much more attentive and anticipate events earlier,” Vojtěch says. “Balancing the timetable while maintaining a calm ride creates an interesting tension.”
Internal testing quickly highlighted the tension between keeping to schedule and maintaining high satisfaction. “The mechanics continue to evolve as we add more influences on satisfaction. The foundation is in place and working; now we’re exploring additional subtleties. That process can really stretch on.”
“We deliberately avoided trivial rewards for mundane actions — real passengers don’t applaud for signaling,” Vojtěch jokes. “In fact, we discovered it’s harder to design meaningful ways to raise satisfaction than to lower it.” Following early playtests, the team increased both the magnitude of satisfaction gains and losses and shifted the growth mechanic from elapsed time to distance driven — a change they believe is fairer to players.
Clarity in the presentation is crucial. “We must show satisfaction during driving, at stops, and after trips without overwhelming the player,” Vojtěch notes. Too much on-screen information distracts drivers; too little leaves players without useful feedback.
The same care applies at stops. “We’re iterating on how to depict boarding and disembarking passengers and their satisfaction simply and distinctly. I want passengers represented as individuals rather than an anonymous progress bar.”
Adapting a truck-centric game to support coaches has also presented technical and design challenges. “Everything — terminology, icons, and much of the UI — was built around trucks. Adding a new vehicle type and fluidly switching modes is more complex than the Coaches DLC itself.”
Even during development, the team is imagining future expansions. “There are many ideas we might explore if time allows: passengers requesting climate control, which could affect mood, or emergency stop requests that force quick decisions and risk sharp satisfaction drops. These are possibilities, not promises.”
A lot remains to be done before Coaches launches, and the team is excited — and a touch daunted — by the community’s interest. “It’s both thrilling and a little intimidating to see so many players wishlisting Coaches,” Vojtěch admits. “We feel a responsibility to meet expectations, and the whole team is committed to delivering something players will enjoy.”
We hope this look behind the scenes clarifies how passenger-focused gameplay will shape the Coaches module for Euro Truck Simulator 2. If you’re eager to try Coaches, please add it to your Steam wishlist — it helps support future content. Drive safely and stay tuned for more updates.