Real Traffic Density for Euro Truck Simulator 2
Sets traffic volume and mix (cars, trucks and more) by time of day and road type, using real traffic data. Free, no DLC; g_traffic must stay at 1.
Download Real Traffic Density
More screenshots on Steam Workshop ↗
What this mod does
Real Traffic Density, known for years as Real Traffic Density and Ratio, changes how many vehicles appear on the road and in what proportion. The author started from real traffic statistics so you get rush-hour jams, busy highways at night and quieter back roads.
What it changes in the game
- Traffic density that varies by time of day and road type, with fewer cars at night except on highways.
- A more realistic mix of cars, trucks and other vehicles.
- Emergency vehicles, motorcycles and sports cars drive faster when they can.
- AI drivers may randomly exceed the speed limit by up to 35%.
- Longer traffic light cycles: short greens on small streets and long ones on major roads.
- AI can overtake on single-lane roads with a single solid line.
Who it’s for
For anyone who finds the stock traffic sparse and monotonous. It works with the base map, all map DLC, ProMods and MHA Pro Map, and also with AI car packs, which add models while RTD controls the amount.
Version
The Steam Workshop page was updated on September 21, 2026 with the version 1.61 image. There’s a separate add-on by Erbkaiser, Real Traffic Density – Ratio Adjustment, for anyone who wants to fine-tune the vehicle mix even further.
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User rating
Highlights and things to keep in mind
- Traffic changes believably by time of day and road type
- Compatible with ProMods, MHA Pro Map and AI traffic packs
- Very lightweight and free
- Requires adjusting launch options and keeping g_traffic at 1
- At rush hour the density is very high and can strain modest PCs
- The Steam page doesn't show a mod version number, only dates
Requirements
- Euro Truck Simulator 2 version 1.61
- Steam account to subscribe on Steam Workshop
- g_traffic variable at 1 (0.5 at minimum)
- The -mm_pool_size launch option set to match your RAM, which the author marks as mandatory
How to install it
- Subscribe to the mod on Steam Workshop.
- In Steam, right-click ETS2, open Properties and add -mm_pool_size under Launch Options followed by half your RAM in MB (for example, -mm_pool_size 8192 with 16 GB of RAM).
- Launch the game and open the Mod Manager.
- Enable Real Traffic Density and place it above map mods, graphics mods and any other mod that touches density.
- If you had changed g_traffic in the console or in config.cfg, set it back to 1.
- Load your profile and drive for a while so the traffic can spawn.
Version history
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21 Sep 2026Current
Reuploaded with the version 1.61 image
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23 Jul 2026
Fixed electric train spawning
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18 Jun 2026
Update for version 1.60
Common problems
Can I raise g_traffic to get even more traffic?
No. The author asks you to always keep it at 1; the mod's numbers are already close to the maximum the game can handle. You can lower it to 0.5 if you want less traffic.
Is it compatible with ProMods?
Yes, as long as RTD has higher priority than the map in the Mod Manager.
Can I use it with AI car packs?
Yes. The author says it works with external traffic packs.
Does it need any DLC?
No. It works with the base map and is compatible with all map DLC.
More mods for ETS2
ETS2 1.60Requires DLC 
✓ ETS2 1.61 
ETS2 1.57 
ETS2 1.59 
ETS2 1.58 
✓ ETS2 1.61