Another 33,000 vehicles have been removed from automakers’ global production plans because of microchip shortages, according to the latest estimate from AutoForecast Solutions.
That figure is lower than many past weeks of reporting from AFS, which has been monitoring the chip shortage since it began in early 2021. But fewer cuts “are not necessarily a sign of improvement in the supply of semiconductors,” said Sam Fiorani, AFS vice president of global vehicle forecasting.
“COVID-related shutdowns in China and disruptions in parts due to the conflict in Ukraine are among the current extenuating circumstances that are reducing global production,” he said in an email.
Many auto executives have signaled that they anticipate the semiconductor shortage to continue at least through this year. Magna International Inc. CEO Swamy Kotagiri told analysts last week that he expects the shortage to last through 2022, with improvements materializing in the second half of the year.
AFS said an additional 14,600 vehicles were cut from factory schedules in Europe, in addition to about 12,600 at assembly plants in Asia outside of China. About 5,900 vehicles were cut in North America.
