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The Global Semiconductor Chip Shortage Crisis and Its Effects on the Automotive Industry

  • Report

  • 66 Pages
  • July 2021
  • Region: Global
  • Frost & Sullivan
  • ID: 5381931

About 1.38 Million Fewer Units Were Produced in Q1 2021 due to Shutdowns and Production Slowdowns Arising from the Chip Shortage. The Situation Could Worsen, and Production is Likely to Reduce by a Further 2.40 Million Units in Q2 2021

The rising trend of the electrification of vehicles has increased automakers’ dependency on semiconductor chips, making them a critical component in new-gen cars. Toward the end of 2020, the global shortage of semiconductor chips forced many OEMs to temporarily suspend vehicle production or reduce the working shifts in their factories. Leading OEMs such as Honda, Toyota, Ford, GM, and Nissan were among the few to adjust their factory operations. Substantial investments are being made in the semiconductor industry on a global scale; this is being done to ramp-up semiconductor chip production to meet the growing demand from the auto industry and to strengthen local production.

This study provides an overview of the global automotive semiconductor chip industry; examines chip manufacturers and the role they play in this industry; and analyzes the ongoing chip shortage crisis. The study elucidates the key issues that auto OEMs face pertaining to chip demand and supply. It also examines the current state of the market and discusses market participants’ plans to adapt to the changes in technology, particularly in terms of chip dependence, system design, and supply chains.

By providing a comprehensive overview of the industry from multiple perspectives, this research service seeks to:


  • Capture the current market scenario
  • Identify the major manufacturers and consumers of chips
  • Understand the chip shortage crisis and how can it be solved
  • Comprehend and analyze the current scale and effects of the crisis
  • Identify OEM risk mitigation strategies and best practices

From an automotive and transportation standpoint, this study provides a global outlook of the ongoing crisis and analyzes its impact on OEMs, Tier I companies, and semiconductor manufacturers.

This study takes a deep dive into the auto chip ecosystem and the best practices adopted by some OEMs to deal with the crisis; it also recommends risk mitigation strategies to handle future crises.

Key Issues Addressed


  • What is the current state of the industry/market?
  • Which factors and trends are fueling the auto chip shortage and leading to an industry-wide crisis?
  • What is the extent of the impact on the various stakeholders in the value chain?
  • Who are the major semiconductor chip suppliers?
  • What strategies are the leading OEMs following, that is, the ones least impacted by the ongoing chip shortage?

Table of Contents

1. Strategic Imperatives
  • Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
  • The Strategic Imperative 8™
  • The Impact of the Top Three Strategic Imperatives on the Automotive Semiconductor Chip Market
  • Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine™


2. Global Automotive Semiconductor Chip Market - A Snapshot
  • Snapshot of the Current State of the Market
  • Increasing Use of Electronics in the Automotive Industry
  • Automotive Semiconductor Chip Value Chain


3. The Current State of Affairs - The Scope and the Extent of the Crisis
  • The Global Automotive Semiconductor Chip Shortage - An Ongoing Crisis
  • How and When the Global Chip Shortage Crisis Began - A Timeline
  • Impact of the Semiconductor Chip Shortage on the Automotive Industry


4. Disruptions in the Global Automotive Semiconductor Chip Supply Chain
  • Factors Affecting Semiconductor Chip Supply to Automotive OEMs
  • Pandemic-induced Border Shutdowns and Their Impact
  • OEM and Chip Suppliers’ Inventory, Demand, and Supply Chain Mismanagement
  • Weather Factors - The Texas Winter Storm
  • Other Special Circumstances - The Fire Outbreak at the Renesas Factory
  • Disruptions to Air and Sea Freight


5. Global Automotive Semiconductor Chip Supply Network - An Overview
  • End-market Exposure of the Major Automotive Semiconductor Chip Suppliers
  • Key Regions for Automotive Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - The United States
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - Europe
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - Japan
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - Taiwan
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - South Korea
  • Key Manufacturers and Their Customers - China
  • Automotive Supply Chain Bottlenecks Caused by Major Foundries
  • New Investments and M&As


6. Impact Analysis of the Chip Shortage Crisis and Industry Best Practices
  • Impact of the Semiconductor Chip Shortage on Vehicle Production
  • Impact of the Semiconductor Chip Shortage on Automotive Industry Revenue Generation
  • Overview - Impact of the Chip Shortage on OEMs (North America)
  • Overview - Impact of the Chip Shortage on OEMs (Europe)
  • OEM Impact Analysis
  • Volkswagen
  • Honda
  • Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
  • Stellantis
  • Ford
  • GM
  • Toyota Thrives While Other Companies Languish
  • Hyundai-Kia Purchased Chips While Others Companies Did Not
  • The Tesla Element - An Effective Business Model?


7. Mitigation Strategies and the Way Forward
  • The Chip Shortage - It is Not an Individual Crisis; It is an Industry Crisis
  • The Chip Shortage - Necessitating a Change in the Automotive Industry
  • Structural Changes in Semiconductor Chip Procurement
  • Business Continuity Plans to Overcome Disruptions
  • Vertical Integration as a Long-term Solution


8. Growth Opportunity Universe - Automotive Semiconductor Chip Market
  • Growth Opportunity 1: Manufacturing Capacity Expansion and Demand Management Optimization
  • Growth Opportunity 2: Auto Semiconductor Chip Crisis Dictates Need for In-depth Industry Collaboration
  • Growth Opportunity 3: Impact of the Chip Shortage Crisis on Vehicle Production and Sales


9. List of Exhibits

Companies Mentioned (Partial List)

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

  • Ford
  • GM
  • Honda
  • Hyundai-Kia
  • Nissan
  • Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
  • Stellantis
  • Tesla
  • Toyota
  • Volkswagen