The global shortage of microchips continued to bring down vehicle assembly lines last week, even as industry leaders worked to restore sales volumes derailed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The shortage — widely believed to be caused by sudden competition for chip production capacity as auto sales resurged last year — threatens to slow the industry's recovery.
Last week, the pipeline problem cut into Ford Motor Co's main profit driver, the F-150 pickup. Ford said that because of the supply issue, it will drop two of three production shifts at its Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan this week, while the truck side of its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri will drop one of three shifts. Both locations produce the F-150.