(WWJ) – Ford is apparently planning to sell and ship vehicles without certain non-critical computer chips, as the automaker deals with a pile of unfinished vehicles.
Ford told dealers on Saturday it plans to sell vehicles for some non-safety features, including rear-seat controls for heating, air conditioning and heated seats, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press.
Most car companies are saying they don’t believe the chip crisis – which has been a major headache for automakers the last two years – will be solved by next year, according to WWJ Auto Analyst John McElroy.
Speaking live on WWJ Sunday afternoon, McElroy said Ford’s decision to ship vehicles without non-critical systems “will not impact anything with safety.”
“It would be like getting a car without heated seats,” McElroy said. “So Ford is promising owners that it’ll come up with the chips before the year is up, and then they’d be able to install that.”
Ford is not the first to ship cars without certain chips. General Motors began shipping trucks last year without technology that improves fuel economy.
“You only lose a mile or two per gallon, but GM was shipping trucks without that technology on it, just so that they could move them into showrooms and sell them,” McElroy said.
McElroy said it’s surprising Ford waited this long to ship vehicles without certain chips.
He also predicts car prices will start to come down when the chip inventory starts to go back up, though many automakers may keep a smaller inventory because "they kinda like these higher prices."
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