A global chip shortage is continuing to wreak havoc up and down supply chains in a diverse array of industries across the world. As unprecedented amounts of work, life, shopping, and socializing went digital as the spread of the novel coronavirus drove everyone inside, the demand for electronics, and the computer chips they contain, skyrocketed. The overnight increase in demand, compounded by then-President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, has caused a major headache for a huge swath of economic sectors as more and more products become “smart” and therefore reliant on the severely overloaded semi-conductor industry. One of the hardest-hit sectors is the automotive industry at a time when demand for new cars is historically high. While a modern car can contain well over 3,000 chips in its production, the automotive industry makes up just a fraction of overall chip demand. Because of car companies’ relatively low purchasing […]