How to Use the Rotary Mouse as a Steering Wheel in American Truck Simulator or Euro Truck Simulator 2
The Rotary Mouse offers you an affordable option to play ATS and ETS2 without owning an expensive hardware steering wheel. The scroll wheel on the Rotary Mouse actually doubles as a mini steering wheel that doesn’t need the large space compared to standard steering wheels.
This guide shows you how to configure the Rotary Mouse as a steering wheel in driving simulation games using AutoHotkey (AHK) and vJoy on Windows 11. We shall use the American Truck Simulator (ATS). The same setup also works with Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2).
Requirements
Before you begin, download and install the following software.
AutoHotkey v2
Download the latest version of AutoHotkey from:
Install it using the default settings.
vJoy 2.1.9.1
If you’re using Windows 11, we recommend installing vJoy version 2.1.9.1 instead of the newer releases, as it has proven to be much more reliable.
Download it from:
https://github.com/jshafer817/vJoy/releases
Install it using the default settings.
Why do We Use vJoy and AutoHotKey?
Because we want to provide the most flexibility to you. This way, you have the freedom to set any configurations for diverse of games – change sensitivity, map gear shifting, etc. You are also not tied down to our proprietary software (unlike Fanatec, Logitech or Thrustmaster) and moreover, you may already be using vJoy and AutoHotKey so you don’t need to install additional software.
You could easily generate your own AHK file using ChatGPT.
Configure vJoy
Open the Windows Start Menu and search for:
Configure vJoy
Open the application.
For Device 1:
- Enable Device 1
- Enable the X Axis
- Leave the remaining settings at their default values
- Click Apply
Verify the vJoy Installation
Press:
Win + R
Type:
joy.cpl
Press:
Enter
You should see:
vJoy Device
If you don’t see it, reinstall vJoy 2.1.9.1 and restart your computer before continuing.
Download rotary.ahk
Simply download the rotary.ahk from the link below or from the Downloads section of our website.
https://rotarymouse.com/downloads/rotary-ahk-v1.0.zip
After downloading the file, unzip it and right-click:
rotary.ahk
Select:
Run as administrator
A green AutoHotkey icon will appear in the Windows system tray, indicating the script is running.
Enable Driving Mode
The script uses:
F11
as the default toggle key.
Press:
F11
to enable Driving Mode.
While Driving Mode is enabled, rotating the Rotary Mouse controls the virtual steering axis instead of normal mouse scrolling.
Press:
F11
again at any time to return to normal mouse scrolling.
If F11 conflicts with another application or game, simply edit the script and assign another key.
Verify the Steering Axis
Before launching the game, verify that everything is working correctly.
Press:
Win + R
Type:
joy.cpl
Press:
Enter
Open:
vJoy Device → Properties
Press:
F11
to enable Driving Mode.
Rotate the Rotary Mouse.
The X-Axis should move left and right.
If it does, you’re ready to configure the game.
Configure American Truck Simulator
Launch American Truck Simulator.
Open:
Options→ Controls
Set:
Input Type
to:
Keyboard + vJoy Device
Remove the default steering assignments:
A
D
Assign:
Steering Axis
to:
vJoy X Axis
For the best driving experience, use the following settings:
- Steering Sensitivity: 60%
- Steering Non-Linearity: 1.3
- Deadzone: 0%
- Steering Speed: 0–10%
Adjust Steering Sensitivity
If the steering feels too sensitive, open:
rotary.ahk
using any text editor.
Locate the following line:
step := 100
This value controls how much the steering changes with each movement of the Rotary Mouse.
Recommended values:
| Step | Steering Feel |
|---|---|
| 40 | Very smooth and precise |
| 60 | Recommended |
| 100 | Faster steering response |
Experiment with different values until you find the steering feel that best suits your driving style.
After making changes, save the script.
Then right-click:
rotary.ahk
Select:
Run as administrator
If Windows displays a User Account Control prompt, click:
Yes
AutoHotkey will detect that the script is already running and display a prompt asking whether you want to replace the existing instance.
Click:
Yes
The updated settings will now take effect.
Return to American Truck Simulator and continue testing until you’re satisfied with the steering response.
You’re Ready to Drive
Your Rotary Mouse is now configured as a virtual steering wheel.
It provides smooth steering for lane corrections and gradual turns while allowing you to switch back to normal mouse scrolling at any time by pressing:
F11
Enjoy the drive!
Troubleshooting
vJoy Device does not appear
- Reinstall vJoy 2.1.9.1
- Restart Windows
- Open:
Configure vJoy
- Verify that Device 1 and the X Axis are enabled.
Steering axis does not move in joy.cpl
Make sure Driving Mode is enabled by pressing:
F11
before testing.
Mouse won’t scroll normally
Driving Mode is still enabled.
Press:
F11
to return to normal mouse scrolling.
Steering is too sensitive
Reduce the value of:
step := 60
inside:
rotary.ahk
Save the script and reload it.
F11 conflicts with another application
Simply edit:
rotary.ahk
and assign a different toggle key. You may paste the script on ChatGPT for it to assist you to edit.
ATS is using vJoy (game control) for menu navigation. How to use a mouse?
Go to your Documents/American Truck Simulator folder and delete the global_controls.sii file. Then, run the game again. The game should now ask you if you wish to use vJoy or your joystick for menu navigation. Press the “Ignore” button.
I want to customize the AutoHotKey script. How do I do that?
You can easily edit our existing AHK script by using AI platform like ChatGPT. Simply paste or upload our script on ChatGPT and prompt it to modify our code to whatever you want. It may even generate a completely new script for you. Have fun customizing!