Photo: Ford
Remember the days when you could just step into a dealership, pick a car, pay for it, and then wait no more than a few weeks to have it delivered? Those were certainly great times, and unfortunately, it looks like we’re many years away from the moment we could once again relieve this experience.
And it’s all because of the nightmare chip shortage, which not only doesn’t go away but seems to become even worse with every new month.
The current global chip inventory remains incredibly constrained, and this is obviously impacting the majority of industries out there. As far as the automotive market is concerned, the lack of chips means carmakers can’t deliver their cars as fast as before.
And if you’re wondering how long it takes for a carmaker to deliver the car you just ordered, here’s the story of a customer who’s recently been provided with a horror estimate. Ford wouldn’t be able to deliver a new Ford Bronco faster than the second half of 2023, as a dealer estimated the company needs 18 months to build the car ordered today.
Needless to say, not all carmakers are currently struggling with the same chip supply problems, but on the other hand, nobody’s getting a new car faster than a few months.
And even if they do, most of the new models are delivered without essential systems, simply because the carmakers didn’t have enough chips to power them.
For example, Cadillac has recently started removing parking assistance systems from several models, while BMW is no longer offering touch-capable displays on certain vehicles. GM has previously removed heated seats and start-stop systems from select 2021 cars.
Of course, it’s hard to guess when the global chip shortage could eventually go away, but you can be sure this can’t happen before the health crisis itself comes to an end. And as we all know already, we’re now struggling with another wave that’s just making things even worse.
The current global chip inventory remains incredibly constrained, and this is obviously impacting the majority of industries out there. As far as the automotive market is concerned, the lack of chips means carmakers can’t deliver their cars as fast as before.
And if you’re wondering how long it takes for a carmaker to deliver the car you just ordered, here’s the story of a customer who’s recently been provided with a horror estimate. Ford wouldn’t be able to deliver a new Ford Bronco faster than the second half of 2023, as a dealer estimated the company needs 18 months to build the car ordered today.
Needless to say, not all carmakers are currently struggling with the same chip supply problems, but on the other hand, nobody’s getting a new car faster than a few months.
And even if they do, most of the new models are delivered without essential systems, simply because the carmakers didn’t have enough chips to power them.
For example, Cadillac has recently started removing parking assistance systems from several models, while BMW is no longer offering touch-capable displays on certain vehicles. GM has previously removed heated seats and start-stop systems from select 2021 cars.
Of course, it’s hard to guess when the global chip shortage could eventually go away, but you can be sure this can’t happen before the health crisis itself comes to an end. And as we all know already, we’re now struggling with another wave that’s just making things even worse.
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