John Irwin Reporter covering suppliers and electric vehicles for Automotive News [email protected] 734-716-5728 See All Staff Page Recent Stories Another rough year may be ahead for auto suppliers Suppliers have been through three years of challenges and setbacks. They might be in for a fourth. ZF's Heat Belt: Nice for drivers and range ZF has heated seat belts coming through the development pipeline. But it's not just about cold weather comfort — the supplier says the technology will aid EV battery range. The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: Cuts resume worldwide Automakers axed nearly 70,000 vehicles from their global production plans last week as the microchip shortage continues into its third year, according to the latest estimate by AutoForecast Solutions.North American automakers will cut nearly 20,000 vehicles out of their production schedules this week as a new round of microchip shortages dashed hopes that the global supply problem was clearing up. The eliminations are part of nearly 70,000 factory cuts around the world, according to the most recent forecast from AutoForecast Solutions, illustrating that the microchip shortage is still an issue in its third year. Companies are cutting vehicles from factory schedules in every automaking region in the world, according to AFS, which has tracked the microchip shortage’s impact on automakers since it began in 2021. Asia appears to be the most impacted region, with China and the rest of the continent accounting for about 69 percent of all lost vehicles globally so far this year. AFS now projects that about 2.78 million vehicles will have to be dropped through the end of the year, up slightly from 2.77 million a week earlier. But those cuts come on top of roughly 14.9 million vehicles that were lost in 2021 and 2022. The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: No more cuts Automakers cut no additional vehicles from their 2023 worldwide production plans this week because of the microchip shortage, as they continue to assess how economic conditions will impact vehicle demand. Marelli returns from restructuring with a new game plan The world's 20th-largest auto supplier is looking to boost collaboration with automakers and tech companies while regionalizing its manufacturing strategy as it emerges from last year's court-led financial restructuring. Chip giant Qualcomm crafts a new auto industry role As Qualcomm inks more deals with automakers, it's defining a new role as a supplier. Suppliers step up plans for AVs, sensors, new business models Tier 1 auto suppliers say they are pushing in new directions to evolve their technologies and products. Plante Moran: Who's happy, who's not Plante Moran's OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index Study provides the industry with a quantitative measure of something that's inherently qualitative. Breaking language barrier for sales success A big part of Audi Dominion's staff is fluent in Spanish, and that's a big part of the reason for the Texas store's sales success. Suppliers bring new visions for a new era Amid a rapidly changing automotive landscape, CES provides a broad venue for parts suppliers to lay out their visions of the future. Magna to buy Veoneer Active Safety for $1.53 billion in bid to boost ADAS business The deal will give Magna access to Veoneer's suite of camera and radar systems, as well as its driver monitoring technology and domain controllers. Magna will gain about 2,200 engineers. The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: Recession would ease crisis Automakers expect to cut fewer than 3 million vehicles from their production schedules because of the microchip shortage in 2023, a significant improvement from this year. Data analytics can help unlock battery bottlenecks EV battery makers will need to learn to manage data in new ways and consider different business models in order to bring new technologies to market faster, executives said. The latest numbers on the microchip shortage: A late-year flare-up North American plants were hit hard by the semiconductor shortage, which continues to linger even as automakers eye improvements in 2023. Recycling EV batteries critical to meeting electrification targets, executives say Finding ways to effectively recycle electric vehicle batteries will be crucial for the auto industry as it looks to figure out where it will source critical materials in 2030 and beyond. Load More
John Irwin Reporter covering suppliers and electric vehicles for Automotive News [email protected] 734-716-5728 See All Staff Page