Why is there a shortage of BMW chips?
3 Answers
BMW chip shortage reasons are as follows: Comprehensive recovery of consumer demand: Due to China's outstanding performance during the pandemic, the economy remains in an upward trend, with multiple production lines facing significant price increases and full capacity at foundries, directly driving up chip prices. Severe cases of customers placing last-minute orders: Market conditions and merchant expectations have significantly deviated, resulting in a supply-demand imbalance. Moreover, the advent of the 5G era has led to a surge in shipments, causing parts shortages across the entire market. Large capacity gap in chip foundries: Various foundries have begun investing in new facilities to expand production capacity, but the overall cycle is lengthy.
I recently wanted to buy a new BMW, but the dealer said I'd have to wait over six months due to the chip shortage. This left me quite frustrated. After looking into it, I learned the reasons: First, the global pandemic disrupted supply chains, with chip factories shutting down or reducing production and being slow to recover. High-end cars like BMW use more smart chips, such as for autonomous driving and safety systems, so demand has surged. On the other hand, electronics like smartphones and tablets are also competing for chips, making supply even tighter. There are also transportation issues, with delays in shipping or air freight worsening the shortage. Additionally, geopolitical factors have destabilized supply in certain regions, causing BMW's production to lag behind orders and inventory to drop significantly. My advice is to wait patiently or consider other models.
Having worked in the automotive repair industry for many years, I've frequently encountered BMW chip shortages. The core issue lies in the global shortage of chip production capacity. Since the COVID-19 pandemic led to factory closures, production hasn't fully recovered, with high-spec automotive chips being prioritized for consumer electronics. BMW vehicles extensively use advanced chips in electronic control units, sensors, and multimedia systems. These technological components rely on a handful of manufacturers like TSMC, making shortages inevitable when production bottlenecks occur. Additionally, supply chain disruptions such as shipping delays and raw material shortages further limit supply. Intensified corporate competition and the electronics industry's aggressive procurement have made automotive chips even harder to obtain.