Ola Källenius expects the chip shortage to persist until 2023

In the past year, a crisis developed in many supply chains. Because it quickly became clear that due to the international lockdowns there were no computer chips, the production was simply no longer sufficient for the sheer number of application areas. In addition to the classic areas such as the construction of smartphones or computers, the automotive industry suffered in particular.

Because our vehicles are no longer as analog as they were a few decades ago. Increasing networking and the installation of digital speedometers means that more and more microchips are required. Therefore, many a manufacturer turned around and built analog displays in their own vehicles. The end of the problem seems to be in the foreseeable future, as Ola Källenius made clear.

In the run-up to the international automobile exhibition in Munich, Källenius said on Sunday that the shortage could probably continue into 2023. Until then, however, the severity of the problem should continue to decrease. The reason is also structural problems at the suppliers, which could be uncovered by the crisis. Saving storage space according to the just-in-time principle gave the situation the rest.

That is also the reason why Daimler expects significantly fewer deliveries in the third quarter, and hopes for increasing microchip deliveries in the fourth quarter. Then significantly more orders should be processed again and missing shifts should be made up.

The shortage of chips has also made itself felt internationally. Car manufacturers from Japan (such as Toyota) or the United States (General Motors) are suffering just as much as their competitors from the current situation. It will be exciting to see when the market will normalize again and when the waiting time for a new car will again reach acceptable levels.

Own opinion:

The car manufacturers are in a chip crisis, but they have also contributed to the problem themselves. In recent years, interim storage facilities have been dismantled and processes have been streamlined ever more. If a component is missing, it quickly extends across the entire process chain. Therefore, Daimler, BMW and Co. should also learn from the crisis and plan a safety buffer in their core business.

Via Reuters