Unlock Dates

From Automation Game Wiki

This is a working table of all unlock years for the various components in the game, without the use of techpool (which is used by car companies to unlock technologies earlier). Options unlocked beyond 2020 require techpool to use.

Items marked with an asterisk (*) denote options or revised unlock dates that are currently only available in the Light Campaign 4.3 open beta.

Chassis

Chassis

Panel Material Chassis Type Chassis Material Engine Placement
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Steel 1946 Ladder 1946 Steel 1946 Front Transverse 1962
Treated Steel 1994 Monocoque 1951 Galvanized Steel 1946 Front Longitudinal 1946
Fibre Glass 1955 Space Frame 1946 Corrosion-Resistant Steel 1960 Rear Longitudinal 1946
Aluminium 1946 Semi Space Frame 2000 Advanced High-Strength Steel 1996 Mid Transverse 1962
Partial Aluminium 1985 Light Truck Monocoque 1960 Light Advanced High-Strength Steel 2001 Mid Longitudinal 1946
Partial Carbon Fibre 1993 Glued Aluminium 2000
Carbon Fibre 1993 Carbon Fibre 1988

Suspension

Front Suspension Rear Suspension
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Solid Axle, Coil-Sprung 1946 Solid Axle, Coil-Sprung 1946
Solid Axle, Leaf-Sprung 1946 Solid Axle, Leaf-Sprung 1946
MacPherson Strut 1946 Semi Trailing Arm 1946
Double Wishbone 1946 Torsion Beam 1962
Pushrod 1990 MacPherson Strut 1946
Double Wishbone 1946
Multilink 1990
Pushrod 1990

Engine

Engine Family

Engine Block Block Material Head and Valves Head Material
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
I3 1946 Cast Iron 1946 Pushrod 2V 1946 Cast Iron 1946
I4 1946 Aluminium 1960 Direct-Acting Overhead Cam 2V 1946 Aluminium 1950
I5 1970 Aluminium-Silicon 1996 Overhead Cam 2V 1946 Aluminium-Silicon 1996
I6 1946 Magnesium 2005

2004*

Overhead Cam 3V 1946
60° V6 1960 Aluminium, Heavy Duty* 1960 Overhead Cam 4V 1946
60° V8 1960 Aluminium, Light Duty* 1969 Dual Overhead Cam 2V 1946
60° V12 1946 Aluminium, Billet* 1989 Dual Overhead Cam 4V 1946
90° V6 1960 Aluminium-Silicon, Heavy Duty* 1987 Dual Overhead Cam 5V 1989
90° V8 1946 Aluminium-Silicon, Light Duty* 1987
90° V10 1985
90° V16 1946
B4 1946
B6 1946

Bottom End

Crank Conrods Pistons Balancing Mass
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Cast Iron 1946 Cast 1946 Cast 1946 None 1946
Forged Steel 1956 Heavy Duty Cast 1946 Heavy Duty Cast 1946 Harmonic Damper 1946
Billet Steel 1986 Heavy Duty Forged 1956 Forged / Forged, Heavy Duty 1956 Balance Shaft 1946
Iron, Heavy Duty* 1946 Lightweight Forged 1967 Hypereutectic Cast 1970
Forged Steel, Light Duty* 1959 Titanium 1997 Low-Friction Cast 1991

1986*

Forged Steel, Heavy Duty* 1952 Cast, Light Duty* 1946 Lightweight Forged / Forged, Light Duty 1991

1959*

Billet Steel* 1991 Forged Steel, Light Duty* 1959 Cast, Light Duty* 1946
Billet Steel, Heavy Duty* 1986 Forged* 1956

Top End

VVT VVL
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
None 1946 None 1946
VVT (Pushrod) 2004 VVL 1994
VVT (DAOHC, SOHC) 1988
VVT, Intake (DOHC) 1988
VVT, All Cams (DOHC) 1992

Aspiration

Type Setup Wastegate Geometry Bearing Type
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Naturally Aspirated 1946 1 Turbo 1975 Wastegate 1975 Standard Geometry 1975 Journal Bearing 1975
Turbocharger 1975 2 Turbos 1975 Boost Control 1984 Twin-Scroll 1980 Ball Bearing 1981
4 Turbos 1975 Smart Boost 2008 Variable Geometry 1997

Fuel System and Intake

Fuel System Intake Manifold
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Carburetor, Single Barrel 1946 Compact 1946
Carburetor, Single Barrel Eco 1946 Standard, Low 1946
Carburetor, 2 Barrel 1948 Standard, Mid 1946
Carburetor, DCOE 1954 Variable 1982
Carburetor, 4 Barrel 1959 Performance, Mid 1946
Mechanical Fuel Injection 1964 Performance, High 1946
Single Point Electronic Fuel Injection 1978 Race 1946
Multipoint Electronic Fuel Injection 1982
Direct Injection 2001

Exhaust

Headers Bypass Valves Catalytic Converter Mufflers
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Cast, Compact 1946 No Valves 1946 None 1946 None 1946
Cast, Low 1946 Bypass Valves 1999 Two-Way 1972 Baffled 1946
Cast, Mid 1946 Three-Way 1978 Reverse Flow 1950
Tubular, Mid 1946 High-Flow Three-Way 1984 Straight Through 1968
Tubular, Long 1946
Tubular, Race 1946
Turbo, Compact 1975
Turbo, Mid 1975
Turbo, Race 1975

Trim

Drivetrain

Drive Type Gearbox Differentials
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Front Longitudinal RWD 1946 Manual 1946 Open 1946
Front Longitudinal AWD 1981 Automatic 1950 Manual Locker 1946
Front Longitudinal FWD 1951 Advanced Automatic 1980 Automatic Locker 1949
Front Longitudinal 4x4 1946 Automanual 2000 Clutched Limited-Slip Differential 1957
Front Transverse FWD 1962 Dual-Clutch 2008 Clutched Race Limited-Slip Differential 1961
Front Transverse AWD 1990 Sequential* 1995 Geared / Helical Limited-Slip Differential 1981
Mid Longitudinal RWD 1946 Continuous* 1985 Viscous Limited-Slip Differential 1985
Mid Longitudinal AWD 1985 Electric Limited-Slip Differential 2001
Mid Transverse RWD 1962
Rear Longitudinal RWD 1946
Rear Longitudinal AWD 1985
FWD* 1946
RWD* 1946
4x4* 1946
AWD, Viscous Centre Differential* 1985
AWD, Helical Centre Differential* 1981
AWD, On-Demand* 1990
AWD, Advanced* 2001

Wheels and Brakes

Tyre Type Rim Material Brake Type Disc Brake Piston Count
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Cross Ply 1946 Steel 1946 Drum, Single Leading Shoe 1946 1 1959
Radial 1955 Magnesium 1961 Drum, Twin Leading Shoe 1952 2 1965
Alloy 1970 Solid Disc 1959 3 1976
Carbon Fibre 2015 Vented Disc 1975 4 1990
Carbon Ceramic 2008 6 1999

Aerodynamics

Undertray Active Aero Cooling Flaps
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
None 1946 None 1946 None 1946
Offroad Skidtray 1946 Active Aero 1993 Cooling Flaps 1993
Semi-Clad 1962
Fully Clad 1981
Flow Optimized 2003
Sport Undertray 1992
Race Diffuser 1998

Interior

All general interior types (e.g. Basic, Sport, Race) are unlocked from the start.

Convertible Type Entertainment, Other Entertainment, Removable Media Entertainment, Infotainment
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
None 1946 None 1946 Basic 8-Track 1976 Premium Sat-Nav 2005
Detachable Soft Top 1946 Basic AM Radio 1954 Standard 8-Track 1974 Luxury Sat-Nav 2003
Manual Soft Top 1946 Standard AM Radio 1950 Premium 8-Track 1972 Basic Infotainment 2013
Automatic Soft Top 1964 Premium AM Radio 1946 Luxury 8-Track 1970 Standard Infotainment 2012
Hidden Automatic Soft Top 1969 Luxury AM Radio 1946 Basic Cassette 1988 Premium Infotainment 2011
Detachable Hard Top 1946 Phonograph 1955 Standard Cassette 1986 Luxury Infotainment 2010
Automatic Hard Top 2000 Premium Cassette 1984 Basic HUD 2023
Luxury Cassette 1982 Standard HUD 2021
Basic CD 2001 Premium HUD 2019
Standard CD 1998 Luxury HUD 2017
Premium CD 1994
Luxury CD 1992

Driver Aids and Safety

Steering Traction Aids Safety
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Manual Recirculating Ball 1946 None 1946 None 1946 Basic 1990s 1998
Manual Rack and Pinion 1946 Antilock Braking System 1985 Standard 1940s 1946 Standard 1990s 1994
Hydraulic Recirculating Ball 1956 Traction Control System + Antilock Braking System 1989 Advanced 1940s 1946 Advanced 1990s 1990
Hydraulic Rack and Pinion 1968 Electronic Stability Control 1997 Standard 1950s 1955 Basic 2000s 2008
Variable Hydraulic 1993 Electronic Stability Control + Launch Control 2011 Advanced 1950s 1950 Standard 2000s 2005
Electric 1995 Basic 1960s 1968 Advanced 2000s 2000
Variable Electric 2010 Standard 1960s 1965 Basic 2010s 2018
Advanced 1960s 1960 Standard 2010s 2015
Basic 1970s 1978 Advanced 2010s 2010
Standard 1970s 1975 Basic 2020s 2028
Advanced 1970s 1970 Standard 2020s 2025
Basic 1980s 1988 Advanced 2020s 2020
Standard 1980s 1985
Advanced 1980s 1980

Suspension

Springs Dampers Sway Bars
Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year Technology Unlock Year
Standard 1946 Twin-Tube 1946 Passive 1946
Progressive 1955 Gas Mono-Tube 1966 Semi-Active 1995
Hydropneumatic 1965 Adaptive 1987 Offroad 2000
Air 1982 Semi-Active 1995 Active 2005
Active Sport 1995
Active Comfort 1995