The number of vehicles cut from production schedules at North American factories more than doubled from a week earlier in AutoForecast Solutions’ latest estimate of manufacturing disruption caused by the global shortage of microchips.
About 221,500 vehicles have been cut from North American production schedules so far this year, compared with about 95,700 vehicles a week earlier, according to AFS.
AFS now estimates that 527,400 vehicles have been axed from automakers’ assembly plans worldwide, up 42 percent from a week earlier.
Cuts at European plants rose to about 143,000 vehicles, compared with last week’s estimate of 124,600 vehicles. Plants in Asia, outside of China, have seen about 69,200 vehicles removed from plans, a 22 percent increase.
As the chip shortage works through a second year, there has been little sure relief for automakers. Ford Motor Co. said it will cut vehicle output at plants in Ohio and Missouri this week while reducing shifts at a number of others because of the lack of microchips.
