Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips...

Punatic · 13th March 2022, 22:40

Came across this news story and almost envied the customers. Would be interesting to drive a low-electronics car again!

(Yes, the vehicles will still be drivable)

anjan_c2007 · 13th March 2022, 22:56

Unchipped with the possibility of getting chipped after a year as Ford Motors has dreamt. Their yards full of unchipped cars could have become an eyesore for the MNC. Two points emerge from such a Fordish eyesore. Maybe more points could emerge soon :-

(1) Rather than remaining static and parked in company yards, unchipped cars could adorn the dealer's yards followed by the hapless buyer's garage/parking place.

(2) Ford developed another eyesore in 2021 when a look at the Ford India cumulative balance sheets, losses to the tune of US $ 2 billions (Rs 15,000 crores) were sighted. They exited India on September 9th 2021.

Hence, Ford's eyesores these days translate soon into action that could soon again be followed by reaction.

CliffHanger · 14th March 2022, 01:07

With the ongoing war, metal prices are expected to skyrocket and could lead to a shortage.

I'm sure, Ford is next gonna sell just the chassis and the engine. Hope there will be no shortage of tyres, else Ford might just ship their cars with steel wheels and tyre coupons to be availed later.

A company that thinks one good car for one big country for one decade is of course high in logical thinking!

GTO · 14th March 2022, 08:47

I hear this chip shortage crisis is going to last for most manufacturers till 2023. The OEMs have no choice and we might see this happening here too on a greater scale. Example, Mahindra did ship Thars without head-units and we have seen the XUV700 being delivered with deleted features (+ commitment of adding them at a later stage).

For the car manufacturers, keeping an incomplete vehicle in their possession means its on their accounting books and they cannot report it in monthly sales figures. Most customers will also be happy receiving an almost-complete car versus no car at all.

udainxs · 14th March 2022, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punatic

Came across this news story and almost envied the customers. Would be interesting to drive a low-electronics car again!

(Yes, the vehicles will still be drivable)

Off topic, but the headline in the news section of Team BHP is a bit misleading.

Ford will ship the vehicle without the rear controls only, and the AC/Heating will be controlled from the front.

A similar practice is being adopted by Indian manufacturers as well, and we're seeing features like auto folding rearview mirrors being removed

fhdowntheline · 15th March 2022, 09:53

I am reminded of the dialog by Ian Malcom from Jurassic Park when they go for that ill-fated ride and cant see much around -he looks into the video camera and says " You're planning to eventually put dinosaurs in the park, aren't you? " and then sits back smug with satisfaction about his chaos theory. I guess we are seeing the effects of chaos theory in these turbulent times already.
The whole paradigm of global financial/industrial systems is being severely challenged by Covid and the Ukraine crisis. We could have a thread on how to de-risk the Indian automotive industry in the next few years.

13th March 2022, 22:40	#1
Punatic BHPian Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Pune Posts: 99 Thanked: 261 Times	Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips... Came across this news story and almost envied the customers. Would be interesting to drive a low-electronics car again! (Yes, the vehicles will still be drivable)
	(7) Thanks

13th March 2022, 22:56	#2
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,444 Thanked: 21,319 Times View My Garage	Re: Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips... Unchipped with the possibility of getting chipped after a year as Ford Motors has dreamt. Their yards full of unchipped cars could have become an eyesore for the MNC. Two points emerge from such a Fordish eyesore. Maybe more points could emerge soon :- (1) Rather than remaining static and parked in company yards, unchipped cars could adorn the dealer's yards followed by the hapless buyer's garage/parking place. (2) Ford developed another eyesore in 2021 when a look at the Ford India cumulative balance sheets, losses to the tune of US $ 2 billions (Rs 15,000 crores) were sighted. They exited India on September 9th 2021. Hence, Ford's eyesores these days translate soon into action that could soon again be followed by reaction.
	(5) Thanks

14th March 2022, 01:07	#3
CliffHanger BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 757 Thanked: 1,597 Times	Re: Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips... With the ongoing war, metal prices are expected to skyrocket and could lead to a shortage. I'm sure, Ford is next gonna sell just the chassis and the engine. Hope there will be no shortage of tyres, else Ford might just ship their cars with steel wheels and tyre coupons to be availed later. A company that thinks one good car for one big country for one decade is of course high in logical thinking!
	(4) Thanks

14th March 2022, 08:47	#4
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,121 Thanked: 305,434 Times View My Garage	Re: Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips... I hear this chip shortage crisis is going to last for most manufacturers till 2023. The OEMs have no choice and we might see this happening here too on a greater scale. Example, Mahindra did ship Thars without head-units and we have seen the XUV700 being delivered with deleted features (+ commitment of adding them at a later stage). For the car manufacturers, keeping an incomplete vehicle in their possession means its on their accounting books and they cannot report it in monthly sales figures. Most customers will also be happy receiving an almost-complete car versus no car at all.
	(9) Thanks

15th March 2022, 09:53	#6
fhdowntheline Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Pune Posts: 2,565 Thanked: 7,768 Times	Re: Ford US to ship and sell incomplete vehicles with missing chips... I am reminded of the dialog by Ian Malcom from Jurassic Park when they go for that ill-fated ride and cant see much around -he looks into the video camera and says " You're planning to eventually put dinosaurs in the park, aren't you? " and then sits back smug with satisfaction about his chaos theory. I guess we are seeing the effects of chaos theory in these turbulent times already. The whole paradigm of global financial/industrial systems is being severely challenged by Covid and the Ukraine crisis. We could have a thread on how to de-risk the Indian automotive industry in the next few years.
	() Thanks