Automakers are getting very creative on how to keep their production running and get cars into the hands of consumers. Some of their methods have decreased customer satisfaction, but at least consumers can get a car if they just can’t wait. One bold move was to remove luxury features. For example, some manufacturers are removing the lumbar support of passenger seats, fuel management systems which help with fuel consumption, and blind spot detection systems. Another significant change to help them manage the storm is choosing which cars and trucks they are going to produce. If there are cars that are less profitable, they may make fewer of those and use the scarce chips for the SUV’s which generate a higher profit margin. Yet another challenge is the difficulty of these huge manufacturers to turn off production and then just turn it back on again, so many of them are manufacturing the cars incomplete and storing them until the chips are available. That may be easy to do for some products, but cars and trucks take up a lot of space.
These are just a few ideas to take note of which may stir up some ideas of how to keep your production lines moving even in the face of the chip shortage. AERI is always ready to help you find the critical electronic parts you need. To locate your hardest to find electronic components, please visit www.aeri.com and send us a requirement or call us at 888-427-9111.
Robb Hammond is the President of AERI and the former chair of the Aerospace Industry’s Counterfeit Electronic Components Mitigation Standard for independent distributors, AS6081, which has become one of the industry’s most respected documents, as well as being adopted by the Department of Defense. Robb is one of the foremost thought leaders in the industry on counterfeit detection and speaks regularly at conferences around the globe.
