Nissan, Suzuki and Mitsubishi are joining the ranks of automakers impacted by the semiconductor shortage, announcing halted or reduced production.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a severe shortage of semiconductors. Originally the issue stemmed from factories being close due to lockdowns and quarantine. The problem has been exacerbated by a huge uptick in demand for computers, tablets and gaming consoles as people have been working and gaming from home.
Ford, Honda and BMW have already felt the impact. GM has even gone so far as to ship trucks without their full complement of fuel economy chips, leading them to have worse fuel mileage than previous models.
According to Reuters, Nissan is now planning on halting production for some models in its Mexico plant, while Suzuki will idle three of its factories in the Shizuoka prefecture from three to nine days.
“A global shortage of semiconductors has affected parts procurement in the auto sector. Due to the shortage, Nissan is adjusting production and taking necessary actions to ensure recovery,” a Nissan spokeswoman told Reuters.
Intel is trying to step up to help with the auto semiconductor shortage, but its plans won’t bear fruit for another six to nine months.