What it is: A weekly estimate of lost production volume at auto plants globally caused specifically by the shortage of semiconductors over the past two years.
Where it comes from: AutoForecast Solutions of suburban Philadelphia creates the report through a weekly survey of global factory production schedules, by model, using supplier intelligence and other proprietary research.
How it's used: Updated weekly, the tallies show where automakers are being affected by chip-related supply chain struggles. This monitor of lost production gives parts suppliers and vendors a heads-up on business interruptions and gives retailers insight into the pipeline of new inventory for specific models.
How it might be misused: AFS continually warns data users that the report is tracking only microchip-caused production interruptions. Many other supply chain issues have been tripping up the industry on top of the chip crisis: the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, difficulties in plant staffing, and interruptions in raw material flow and shipping resources, to name a few. The resolution of the chip shortage will not magically bring all production back to desired levels.
