A chip crisis broke out among global automakers, and some car factories including Audi, Ford, Subaru, etc. were shut down

Affected by the epidemic, the production capacity of the global semiconductor industry has declined. Now the shortage of chips is no longer limited to digital products such as mobile phones and computers, and the automotive industry has also begun to be impacted. Recently, news that car companies have to reduce production or even close factories due to lack of chips has frequently appeared in the media, making the industry begin to pay attention to the chip shortage problem. It is reported that Audi plans to reduce the working hours of workers in the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm factories from January 18 to 29, and the production capacity of the A4 and A5 models will be affected.

Not only Audi, the chip shortage has also led to Daimler's production cut plan. Mercedes-Benz's production capacity will be reduced, but the production capacity of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles and high-profit models will be given priority.

Ford and Subaru are the most affected by the chip shortage. Recently, Ford announced that it would temporarily shut down a factory in Germany with 5,000 workers due to a shortage of automotive chips; Subaru announced that two vehicle factories and one engine and traditional system factory in Gunma Prefecture, Japan were forced to stop production.

Component suppliers are also victims of the chip shortage. Bosch and Continental also said that the supply of components involving semiconductors has been affected. Bosch said that it is in close communication with consumers and suppliers every day and is actively improving the supply situation.

Chip manufacturers believe that automakers should be held responsible for the interruption of chip supply. NXP Semiconductors said that many customers placed orders too late, resulting in delays in the delivery of some chips. "It takes at least three months from production to delivery of complex chips," said a spokesperson for NXP Semiconductors.

When the epidemic broke out last year, auto factories were forced to close, market demand plummeted, and automakers drastically cut chip orders. Now the auto industry is showing clear signs of recovery, but as smartphone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung launch a new round of competition for chips, the output of chips in the auto industry has also been greatly affected.

Mike Hogan, head of GlobalFoundries' automotive business, said it was "very difficult" to supply chips to cars in the near term, partly because the extremely long production process in the semiconductor industry means that customers will pay the price for their incorrect predictions of demand. Hogan said GlobalFoundries' factories are currently running at full speed, giving priority to producing chips for the automotive industry to meet industry demand.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.