AI late game Ship Designing problems (turns 100+)

[HreDaak]

New Design Created -
A design is created when a new Component or Vehicle Size has been researched
after the date the design was created. All Vehicle Sizes as fair game, and any
components which are part of the design type. (extracted from AI_DesignCreation)

I have problems getting the AI to design new
ShipDesigns in late game (turns 100+).

As stated in AI_DesignCreation file new design is created as soon as the necessary
technology for this hull is gained. So far so good, this is true, but the real problem
is to get AI to design new ships in late
game when there are no new hulls to be researched. I have this old colony ship hull
that has not been redesigned since turn
39 when it was upgraded to include level
3 ion engines. It is now turn 250 in the
game and the AI still uses that old design.
In all my games i have never seen the AI to
redesign it's colony ships after turn 70...
I usually play my games in huge galaxies with 254 systems, and it would be nice if i could get the AI to include Quantum Reactors
in its colony ship designs. Currently this
seems to be impossible unless i make it to
research resupply level 5 before turn 50,
and that simply is not reasonable.
There are also problems in other ship types, but these are not so acute, as the AI regularly researches new types of Hulls in
these ship classes. Partially the problem could be solved by adding a new colony ship hull type which is available when AI researches resupply level 5, but i would not like to do this...

Any input on this matter is greatly appreciated...

PS: I really dont understand what is said in those few first lines in the AI_DesignCreation file, but this could be just my problem as my native language is not english.