The Detroit auto maker had previously signaled the chip shortfall could impact its operations, telling suppliers late last year that they should stockpile semiconductors. But as of January, production hadn’t been affected. GM now plans to take down three North American factories for a week, starting Monday. They include its assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, which makes the Chevy Malibu sedan and Cadillac XT4 crossover, as well as its factories in Mexico and Canada that build two compact SUVs. It also plans to operate its factory in Korea that makes the Chevy Trax and Buick Encore at half capacity, beginning next week. GM said it would provide weekly updates on its plans, as well as more details when it reports earnings on Feb. 10. The auto industry is now one of the world’s biggest purchasers of computer chips, and demand is only increasing as car companies load their […]