The number of semiconductors in a modern car, from the ignition to the braking system, can exceed a thousand. As the global chip shortage drags on, car makers from General Motors to Tesla find themselves forced to adjust production and rethink the entire supply chain. Illustration/Video: Sharon Shi
Tag Archives: Chip Shortage
Morning News: Vaccine Mandates, Auto Chips, Mumbai Snake Plague
Inoculation or testing requirements are spreading nearly as fast as the Delta variant. But it is not clear they will actually drive more people to get vaccinated.
A broad semiconductor shortage has hit plenty of industries; we examine supply-chain subtleties that have made it particularly bad for carmakers. And why Mumbai is suffering from a plague of snakes.
Magazine Cover Preview: The Economist – August 7
Morning News: Tokyo Olympics Begin, Chip Shortage, Electric Cars
A.M. Edition for July 23. WSJ’s Alastair Gale in Japan joins host Marc Stewart to discuss how the opening ceremony is taking on a different tone compared to past Olympic Games.
New insights on how long the global chip shortage could last. And, electric-vehicle sales see a jolt in the U.S.
Morning News: Employers Requiring Covid-19 Shots, Inflation Data & Vermont
A.M. Edition for June 15. WSJ’s Chip Cutter discusses the latest moves by companies to encourage Covid-19 vaccinations for employees.
WSJ’s Quentin Webb on why the global chip shortage may affect May’s U.S. retail sales data. And, Vermont’s milestone amid the pandemic. Marc Stewart hosts.
Analysis: The Microchip Shortage Limiting Autos
While the automotive industry was ravaged early on in the pandemic thanks to lockdown measures and a dramatic decrease in travel, it more recently has begun facing a new problem: a shortage of microchips.
Microchips are vital to much of a vehicle’s key functions, such as engine control, transmission, infotainment systems, and more. In the last half of 2020 and now in 2021, vehicle sales recovered fairly quickly, faster than automakers anticipated.
Suddenly, they were struggling to meet demand. At the same time, chipmakers were experiencing supply shortages and increased demand from other sectors, such as personal electronics. With the resulting lack of microchip supply, automakers have been forced to slow production, even on their most popular models. For several automakers, the shortage is expected to cost them $1 billion or more — and even still, the alternatives are worryingly few.
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