The global shortage of semiconductors continued to pound the auto industry last week, knocking more than 445,000 additional cars and trucks off production schedules worldwide, according to the latest estimate from AutoForecast Solutions.
AFS said vehicle production plans in China were hardest hit in its newest report. Assembly plants there trimmed another 315,000 vehicles from their schedules.
The outlook for the supply line disruption remains grim. Late last week, Japanese chip maker Rohm Co. — which supplies Ford, Toyota and Honda — said automotive chips likely will be in short supply throughout 2022. Separately, American Honda Motor Co. informed retailers that its vehicle deliveries could fall by 40 percent in the coming weeks compared with previous estimates.
In Europe, Daimler is extending its already-reduced work schedules at Mercedes-Benz factories in Germany and Hungary in response to the shortage. Volkswagen said the supply chain problem is causing it to extend production cutbacks at three German plants into September.
At the end of July, AFS forecast that the shortage could ultimately result in nearly 7 million vehicles being trimmed from global production plans. It has upped that estimate to 8.1 million.
