How long will the shortage of automotive chips last?

Since last year, there have been frequent news reports about shortages of various chips leading to reduced car configurations and even production line stoppages. Car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have launched special topic pages to explain the current shortage situation and remedial response plans to customers.

Recently, news from Russia shows that Russian officials now allow local automakers to ignore emission standards and no longer equip their vehicles with important safety kits such as airbags, electronic stability programs (ESP), anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and even seat belt pretensioners. Of course, this is mainly due to sanctions. However, the lack of electronic components will have a serious impact on the vehicle supply chain.

Sheng Linghai, vice president of research at Gartner, said that signs of a complete shortage in the entire chip market like last year have disappeared, and have been replaced by local shortages, especially among automotive and industrial customers.

各大汽车芯片商其实一直都在积极扩产，以缓解短缺局面。尽管汽车电子IDM们一直以来都是以保守和稳健著称，但也都在近年来大力投资兴建新的工厂，以应对新需求，但依然杯水车薪。英飞凌首席营销官Helmut Gassel表示,2022年1-3月英飞凌积压的订单金额已达370亿欧元，环比增长19.4%，这也就意味着缺货程度越来越严峻。而安森美则是针对IGBT停止接单，IGBT是电动汽车及工业领域重要的电力电子器件。

博世中国总裁陈玉东博士则在接受媒体采访时也表示，去年芯片供应链面临着一系列的危机，并且直到现在也没有恢复。陈玉东表示，汽车产业链是一个具有显著放大效应的市场。比如一颗10元芯片，到了ECU模块就放大百倍到几百块，给到整机厂则继续放大百倍，到几万块的汽车。但是作为关键基础，芯片不能缺，不然就会造成整车厂的生产困难。

The length of the automotive industry chain requires active cooperation from all members to cope with the crisis. Chen Yudong introduced: "Take Bosch as an example. On the one hand, as a chip supplier, we are working hard to expand production; on the other hand, we are expanding the resilience of the industry chain and localizing the global supply chain; and third, we are increasing the selection of domestic chip manufacturers." In addition, Bosch is also actively ensuring supply, on the one hand, speeding up production logistics and other work, and on the other hand, relying on itself to absorb the price increase as much as possible to avoid passing on the crisis.

Chen Yudong said: "In terms of exploring cooperation models, Bosch has invested in local start-ups and actively cooperated with them. On the other hand, it has chosen to retreat to a second-tier supplier and actively support domestic first-tier supplier platforms with an open attitude to better serve local customers." This series of measures was not a temporary response strategy made by Bosch to the epidemic, but it played an important role at the most critical moment of the epidemic.

"Several listed companies have criticized us by name in recent announcements and annual reports, and we humbly accept it. We hope that the supply chain will improve in the second half of this year and be fundamentally improved in 2023," said Chen Yudong with emotion.