According to an Automotive News report, Ford will soon start selling and supplying incomplete but manageable vehicles that come without chips to enable certain non-safety functions. Instead, the automaker will ship the semiconductors to dealers within one year, which they will then install in customers’ vehicles after purchase.
It is not clear which features will be affected
So far, there is no information about the affected car models or features. Ford originally had plans to ship unfinished, non-driving cars to dealers last year, but now the non-chipped cars will be both manageable and salable.
As noted by Automotive News, Ford’s decision stems from an attempt to relocate unfinished vehicles filling factory lots. Last month, hundreds of new Ford Broncos were spotted idle in snow-covered parking lots outside a Ford assembly plant in Michigan, all waiting to be chipped.
Like many other companies, Ford is struggling with restrictions caused by a shortage of chips. Last year, a semiconductor shortage forced Ford to cut production of its popular F-150, and in November, Ford and General Motors announced a deal with chip maker GlobalFoundries to ease the shortage.
Other automakers have also had to make sacrifices due to chip shortages: GM has ditched wireless charging, HD radio, and a fuel management module that made some pickup trucks run more efficiently. Meanwhile, Tesla sold several vehicles without USB ports and later made them available for installation. Luxury cars haven’t been exempt from shortages either, as Cadillac dropped the hands-free driving feature from its 2022 Escalade, while BMW began shipping some vehicles without touchscreens.
The Verge reached out to Ford for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.