In the spring, car industry executives had to respond to an unparalleled downturn. The rapid spread of coronavirus hammered demand for new cars and severed supply lines, forcing them to mothball factories. Games consoles are in high demand and Microsoft and Sony cannot make enough of their new Xboxes and Playstations to fill orders. SponsoredBooming sales of consoles and stay-at-home essentials like laptops and smart TVs has created a global shortage of the microchips that make them tick. So far the dearth of semiconductors has been most keenly felt in the auto industry.

Source: The Times January 27, 2021 17:02 UTC