Title: Chip shortage, explained: Why it's impacting car prices, tech items
Headings: The microchip shortage explained: How it's impacting car prices and the tech industry
The microchip shortage explained: How it's impacting car prices and the tech industry
Michael Liedtke, Tom Krisher
Is the pandemic to blame?
Are there other factors at work?
Why is the auto industry being hit so hard?
How are automakers dealing with the shortage?
Will this impact my ability to buy a new car this year?
Will other popular products be affected this year?
What will prevent another chip shortage?

Content: It has made it difficult for schools to buy enough laptops for students forced to learn from home, delayed the release of popular products such as the iPhone 12 and created mad scrambles to find the latest video game consoles such as the PlayStation 5. But things have been getting even worse in recent weeks, particularly in the auto industry, where factories are shutting down because there aren’t enough chips to finish building vehicles that are starting to look like computers on wheels. The problem was recently compounded by a grounded container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week, choking off chips headed from Asia to Europe. Computer chip shortages proliferate: Why you could soon pay more for a used car
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These snags are likely to frustrate consumers who can’t find the vehicle they want and sometimes find themselves settling for a lower-end models without as many fancy electronic features. And it threatens to leave a big dent in the auto industry, which by some estimates stands to lose $60 billion in sales during the first half of his year. “We have been hit by the perfect storm, and it’s not going away any time soon,” said Baird technology analyst Ted Mortonson, who said he has never seen such a serious shortage in nearly 30 years tracking the chip industry. Is the pandemic to blame? Sort of.