An ongoing shortage of semiconductors has forced automakers to repeatedly disrupt production over the past year.
Now, some are deleting chip-controlled features like touchscreens, heated seats, and auto stop/start to help assembly lines keep rolling.
In the coming weeks, some buyers will find the Ford Explorer SUVs they ordered are missing a feature when they take delivery. The automaker is temporarily deleting rear-seat climate controls because of a shortage of the semiconductor chips needed to control the system.
The automaker “will be able to get Explorers out to customers faster,” explained spokesman Said Deep, because the alternative would be to indefinitely delay production of models equipped with the rear-seat system until the necessary chips would become available again.
![2022 Ford Explorer 2022 Ford Explorer](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/03/2022-Ford-Explorer.jpg)
It’s not the first time Ford has deleted a feature in order to keep assembly lines rolling. Last year, it dropped the auto stop/start system — which temporarily shuts off the engine instead of idling to save gas — from some F-150 models.
And a variety of other automakers have taken similar steps over the past year, including BMW, GM, Nissan, and Porsche.
A Growing Problem
The problem is an unintended consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the virus forced widespread lockdowns in early 2020, car sales plunged, and automakers responded by slashing orders for parts and components — including semiconductors.
Chip manufacturers discovered a ready market, however, in the consumer electronics industry. Companies like Apple, Dell, and Sony were ramping up production to meet demand from the millions of folks suddenly working from home.
By late 2020, vehicle demand rebounded sharply, however, and manufacturers rushed to rebuild dwindling inventories. But they discovered there weren’t enough chips to go around. As a result, they’ve had to repeatedly idle plants and scramble for supplies.
A Devil’s Bargain
![Tesla Model 3 Tesla Model 3](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/03/Tesla-Model-3.jpg)
![BMW 4-Series Cabriolet BMW 4-Series Cabriolet](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/03/BMW-4-Series-Cabriolet.jpg)
Retrofit
![2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2022 Chevrolet Silverado](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/03/2022-Chevrolet-Silverado.jpg)