What are the reasons for the chip shortage in automobiles?
2 Answers
The reasons for the chip shortage in automobiles: Modern cars are becoming increasingly intelligent, requiring more chips than before; the impact of the pandemic has led to explosive growth in the consumer electronics industry, while chip production capacity has significantly decreased; consumer electronics products require more chips than automobiles. Modern cars are becoming increasingly intelligent, requiring more chips than before: In the past, the core components of cars were mechanical parts, such as engine components and transmission parts, which were very difficult to manufacture. In recent years, almost all car brands have been launching smart cars with directly noticeable intelligence, such as large central control screens and head-up displays, all of which require chips. Many other unseen components in cars that provide these features also require chips, such as MCUs and various controllers. With the increase in functional parts that need chips, the demand for chips by car manufacturers has also significantly increased. The impact of the pandemic has led to explosive growth in the consumer electronics industry, while chip production capacity has significantly decreased: Over the past two years, due to the pandemic, many chip factories and downstream manufacturers have closed or reduced production. These enterprises are mainly located in Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the United States, regions that have been severely affected by the pandemic, preventing factories from operating normally. Additionally, these factories occasionally experience disasters such as fires and cold waves, further reducing and destabilizing chip production capacity.
As a tech-savvy car enthusiast, I believe the chip shortage in the automotive industry is primarily due to chip production failing to keep pace with the wave of vehicle intelligence. Automakers previously used few chips, but now rely on them for everything from navigation and autonomous driving to remote control, leading to an explosive surge in demand. The pandemic disrupted supply chains, shutting down many chip factories and clogging transportation. When operations resumed, orders piled up like mountains. Global chip manufacturers like TSMC had to prioritize smartphones and computers, leaving automotive chips neglected. Additionally, the complex manufacturing process takes months to produce a single chip device. With automakers understocked, us car owners suffer from prolonged delivery times. This issue won’t be resolved soon—only by automakers building new plants or switching to domestic alternatives. Next time I buy a car, I’ll check inventory more carefully to avoid disappointment.
