Ford will sell Explorer SUVs with missing chips due to global shortage
However, they could be added later upon availability.
Amidst the ongoing ship shortage, American multinational car maker, Ford has decided to ship and sell its Explorer SUVs without the chips that control non-safety features such as heating and cooling for the rear seats, Automotive News reported.
The global chip shortage came into the limelight during the pandemic as global supply chains were disrupted. From smartphones to cars, the production of a wide range of goods was affected.
Last year, we had reported that over 70,000 Ford vehicles were waiting in storage for chips. That being said, Ford was to ship cars in undrivable conditions to its dealers last year, where the chips would be installed on availability. However, the company seems to have found a solution around this, and according to recent reports, the cars will be missing a few non-critical non-safety features.
Ford’s work around chip shortage
Ford’s new strategy will result in its vehicles being sold without a few features. These include the controls of heating and cooling for the rear seats, although these features will be controlled from the front seats. It is likely that the company expects to tide over the shortage later this year since it is promising the customers that the dealerships will install the chips within a year from purchase.
Customers willing to still purchase Ford Explorer without these features can expect a reduction in the final price for this small inconvenience. Last year, Ford had shipped its popular F150 without the automatic start-stop feature and given a $50 credit to customers who opted to purchase the car without this feature.
Ford isn’t the only carmaker working around chip shortages in such a fashion. While electric vehicle maker Tesla shipped cars without some USBs, General Motors dropped features like wireless charging and HD radios.
Chip makers such as Intel are also investing heavily in manufacturing facilities in the U.S. but it will be a while until one sees the benefits from the move. For now, the chip shortage is here to stay and might even be exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.