As time progresses, you'll need to research new sub-component designs to remain relevant in the automotive industry. The game handles with a system called Design Skills.

The game uses design skills in two ways. First, the system uses them to unlock new sub-component designs. Secondly, it acts as a rating bonus when designing new components or vehicles. Companies with higher design skills will unlock better components faster than the competition, and they'll produce better designs for less money than companies with worse design skills.

As your company gets better at designing a component category, its design skill will increase. Each sub-component has an unlock year and a design skill requirement. When the year and your skills are greater than the requirements, the sub-component will unlock. The design skill requirements for sub-component decrease every year as the technology becomes more commonplace. This is one of the most important features of the Design Skill system because most new sub-components give a slight competitive advantage over older styles.