Want to bypass the strict driving exams and just explore? To access the Porto-Valanta free roam mode in City Car Driving 2.0 without failing licenses or racking up fines, you need to deliberately bypass the game's strict career progression. Instead of grinding through the mandatory Cargo Transport License, players can navigate to the "Free Drive Exploration" setting in the Early Access menu or utilize the PVE Training Mode to disable traffic penalties entirely.
The highly anticipated Early Access launch of City Car Driving 2.0 in June 2026 brought a massive visual overhaul and the beautiful new open-world city of Porto-Valanta. However, the developers at Forward Development leaned heavily into the "driving simulator" aspect, locking much of the fun behind strict AI traffic rules, constant fines, and mandatory license exams. If you bought the game just to cruise through a dynamic, rainy city with your steering wheel setup, the default career mode is a frustrating roadblock.
Here is the definitive, ownership-grade guide to breaking out of the exam room and unlocking the true open-world sandbox experience.
The Problem: Why Porto-Valanta Free Roam is Hidden Behind Exams
When you first boot up City Car Driving 2.0, the game aggressively pushes you into its Career Mode. You are immediately tasked with obtaining your basic driving licenses and progressing toward the advanced Cargo Transport License. The game wants to teach you how to be a compliant, safe driver before it lets you loose.
The AI in the June 2026 Early Access build is notoriously strict. It enforces real-world PDD (traffic regulations) with absolutely zero margin for error. Roll over a stop line by an inch at a red light? Fine. Shift gears too slowly in a manual transmission car? Penalty. Fail to yield to an AI pedestrian who steps out unexpectedly? Instant failure. The community response on Steam immediately fell to a "Mixed" status precisely because players were hit with a "constant influx of fines" before they even got to properly see the city.
The developers designed the progression manager this way to cater to novice drivers learning real-world habits—staying true to the roots of the original City Car Driving. But for sim-racing enthusiasts and casual players alike, the lack of an obvious "sandbox" button makes the game feel incredibly restrictive. You don't want to be a student trapped in a testing environment; you want the Porto-Valanta free roam experience, complete with high speeds and unrestricted exploration.
Step-by-Step: How to Access Porto-Valanta Free Roam
Unlocking the open world without the stress of constant exams requires a few specific menu tweaks. Because the game is still in Early Access, the UI can be slightly clunky, but here is exactly how to bypass the restrictions and claim your freedom:
- Select PVE / Training Mode: On the main menu, deliberately avoid the Career or License tabs. Look for the "Training Mode" (sometimes labeled as PVE Mode in early builds). This mode removes the hard fail-states associated with the driving exams, meaning a single mistake won't boot you back to the menu.
- Toggle 'Free Drive Exploration': Within the setup screen for your session, select the "Free Drive Exploration" parameter. This tells the game engine to spawn you in the city without a set destination, cargo timer, or driving instructor barking orders at you.
- Disable Strict Traffic Fines: Go into your gameplay settings and turn down the AI strictness. While you can't completely delete the AI vehicles from the road, you can disable the penalty system that constantly interrupts your drive with pop-up fines. This is crucial for a relaxing drive.
- Ignore the Objectives: If you are playing a specific Early Access build where the Cargo Transport License is forced upon spawning, simply ignore the GPS routing. The physical map is fully open from the start; the game just tries to guilt you into following the green route line. Drive right past the objective markers and the entire city is yours to conquer.
What to Expect in the Porto-Valanta Free Roam Map
Once you break free from the exam constraints, City Car Driving 2.0 truly shines. Forward Development has built a living, breathing world that actively rewards exploration, far surpassing the sterile environments of the first game.
Dynamic Weather and Day/Night Cycles The crown jewel of the new engine is the dynamic weather system. Transitioning from a sunny afternoon into intense midnight rain completely changes the driving physics and the atmosphere of the city. Raindrops slide realistically down the windshield, and deep puddles form on the asphalt, requiring you to adjust your braking distance to avoid hydroplaning.
Interactive Vehicle Ownership Unlike the first game, this isn't just about spawning instantly inside a cockpit. The new ownership mechanics require you to walk up to your vehicle, open the doors, and manually start the engine. During a Porto-Valanta free roam session, you will need to manage your car's physical maintenance. This means pulling into interactive gas stations to refuel, visiting automated car washes to clean off the mud accumulated from off-road paths, and stopping at custom paint shops to tweak your aesthetic.
Diverse Road Networks The map offers a stark contrast in driving environments. You can navigate the tight, complex intersections of the urban center—where AI pedestrians and traffic lights dictate the flow of movement—or hit the wide-open highways on the outskirts of Porto-Valanta to test your top speed. There are even scenic off-road paths that challenge your suspension physics.
Best Settings for a Smooth Free Roam Experience
Because the game is still optimizing its new engine, getting a smooth 60+ FPS requires some tweaking, especially when the intense midnight rain kicks in. Here is how to optimize your sandbox session:
- Graphics Adjustments: Turn down volumetric clouds and shadow resolution. The midnight rain effects are beautiful but incredibly taxing on mid-range GPUs. Keeping these settings on medium ensures your frame rate doesn't tank when navigating complex intersections.
- Steering Wheel Setup: The game natively supports high-end peripherals. If you are using a Logitech G29 or a Fanatec Clubsport DD, ensure you map the "Engine Start" and "Wipers" to easily accessible buttons on your wheel rim. You will need them frequently in free roam, and reaching for the keyboard breaks immersion. (Note: TrackIR and VR support are not available in the initial Early Access launch, so rely on your wheel's D-pad for camera panning).
- Mods and Trainers: For players who want absolutely zero restrictions, third-party trainers (such as the updated FLiNG trainer for the 2026 build) are incredibly popular. These tools offer hotkey options like "Unlock All Cars," "No Crash Damage," and "Infinite Fuel." Activating these is the ultimate way to force a pure sandbox experience if the Early Access economy grind gets too tedious.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Porto-Valanta map fully open in Early Access? Yes, the physical map is fully accessible from day one of the June 2026 Early Access launch. The "restrictions" players complain about are purely gameplay-based (exams, fines, and career objectives). If you ignore the missions, you can drive anywhere from the city center to the outskirts.
Can I use trainers or mods to unlock all cars for free roam? Yes. Since the game is currently single-player focused, PC players are actively using third-party trainers to bypass the in-game economy. This allows you to unlock the entire garage, disable crash damage, and secure infinite fuel for a stress-free sandbox mode without fear of being banned.
Will there be multiplayer free roam in City Car Driving 2.0? Currently, the game is single-player only. The developers at Forward Development have stated they don't rule out an online mode in the future, but it is not available in the initial Early Access period. For now, the roads belong to you and the AI.
Why am I getting fined in free roam mode? If you haven't explicitly disabled the traffic penalty system in the gameplay settings, the AI will still enforce real-world traffic laws (PDD) even when you aren't on an active mission. Turn off the strict AI rules in the options menu to cruise without annoying pop-up penalties.
Sources
- City Car Driving 2.0 Official Steam Community Updates (June 2026)
- Forward Development Early Access Patch Notes & Devlogs
- Sim Racing Community Forums (/r/simracing)
- FLiNG Trainer Release Notes for City Car Driving 2.0