A year? Try 2-3 years. It takes huge investments and a long time to build or enhance production of semiconductors.
I am sure they are doing what they can. There is a world wide chip shortage and chips are not universally interchangeable. Programs may have to be changed to run on them which would then require stocking two lines of chips and software instead of one. Complicate repairs by requiring checking which chip is in this series of truck. If a different chip was used it could take a year or two to rewrite software and test. There are many in-country chip plants under construction, (maybe 3+ years and then months to produce first chips). Note that infrastructure to support a new chip plant, could require new roads, bridges, electrical generation plants, etc, etc.....
Agreed.
First quarter looks bad (down up to 10%) but more than 1/2 way over and whole year guidance looks good at +10 to +15%. That means the last three quarters will be even higher to make up for 1st quarter.
Also will note in passing that vehicle manufacturers are prone to ordering and using previous generations of chips and chipsets which by their very nature may take a spot of less urgency in a production facility.
I saw that too. We'll just have to see what shakes out.
Ford could have bought five years worth of chips three years ago, but we're afraid of having to trash them.
With the technology changing as fast as it is, that does not even make sense.
