BeamNG.drive's Biggest Update Yet Adds A Desert, New Missions And Revamped EV Simulation

Driving sim (with soft-body crash physics) BeamNG.drive gets a big update now available.

v.027 of the game adds a new map, Johnson Valley. This is a 10km square desert filled with obstacles like rocks and sand dunes. But also hosts the longest straight paved highway. So whether you’re into off-roading or drag racing, Johnson Valley is worth checking out.

The update adds a few new vehicles as well. The SP Dunekicker is an off-road racing truck. While it may be fictional, the developers used real-world data and design input from industry experts and baja racing hobbyists to create it, which includes bypass shock physics.

The SP Rockbasher is built for rock crawling and has two versions. One has a solid-axle with a low center of gravity and plenty of suspension actuation. The other has independent suspensions, allowing it to climb over uneven rocks and boulders.

The other interesting new car is more of an all terrain vehicle. It's the game's first amphibious vehicle, the first to have the new centrifugal clutch and skid steering and it comes in two versions, a 4×4 and an 8×8. Yes, the latter has 8 tyres.

Here's the full list of new vehicles added to BeamNG.drive v.027:

The update brings in bypass shock absorber simulation. It's super technical but to put it simply, it allows rock-crawlers and desert vehicles to be a thing as the suspension can take on small bumps softly but also take on large bumps while keeping the chassis from bottoming out (as in, it stops the car from getting scraped underneath).

The other new physics change is how electric vehicles (EVs) work. The brake regen has been improved. Now drivers can modulate how much a car decelerates using the throttle pedal. And when braking, EVs will use the regenerative brakes first to slow the vehicle down, only engaging with normal friction brakes when ABS triggers or a panic stop. Also, you can engage in "one-pedal driving", something real-world EVs are introducing, where you don't need to hit the brakes to stop. The regen will brake for you when you don't press on the throttle and can go to a complete stop. This is enabled if you have regen brake strength to "full".

For those looking for something to do with all these new systems, there are 31 new missions spread across 5 maps. And there's even an experimental feature where you can refuel at a gas/petrol station.

Plus, the integration with Automation, the car building sim, continues to be supported, allowing players of that game to import their custom cars into BeamNG.drive.

BeamNG.drive is still in Steam Early Access and will have a 20% discount in the upcoming Steam Winter Sale. First released in 2015, the developers are continuing their efforts in making the most realistic driving game with its utterly complex physics engine.

And the game is still a fun time if you just want to crash cars. Cars go extra crunchy when smashed into pieces thanks to the soft-body physics engine.