Current situation of vehicle availability
The pandemic has affected the availability of vehicles, we will tell you the causes and we share some recommendations for fleet.
The pandemic has caused an innumerable series of problems, among which is the impact on automobile production. Due to the huge demand for electronic products such as cell phones, computers, entertainment systems, etc. During the months of confinement and health care supplies, since the end of 2021 there has been a shortage in the production of chips, which may last until well into 2022. This has greatly affected the automotive industry with estimated losses of billions of dollars today.
Remembering that chip production is par excellence in Asian countries, these regions are also the brands that do not suffer so pronounced shortages, while European and American automakers are the ones that have suffered the most losses and delays. Due to the above, the delivery dates of new vehicles have suffered delays with variable or indefinite waiting times both locally and internationally.
Some recommendations that experts give to reduce the shortage crisis are the following:
Plan Ahead: Check vehicle availability and see if changing delivery times impact your daily personal or business operations.
Consider alternatives: Remember that there may be shortages in the production of certain specific vehicles, so consider other makes and models.
Hire in advance: Some brands are giving priority to customers who want several cars, so it is good to ensure your purchase a few weeks in advance.
A large part of the community of automotive experts assure that the losses will continue at least during the second half of the year, while other more positive scenarios paint the end of the crisis in the next quarter. In Mexico alone, during the first quarter of 2021, it is estimated that some 130,000 vehicles were stopped being assembled in January due to a shortage of semiconductors.