[Auto] Thousands of Unfinished Ford Trucks Are Filling Up Kentucky Speedway

[Dr@g0n]

Imagine ordering a brand new Ford F-150 truck with all of your favorite options only to find out that the production on your order is halted due to missing parts. Unfortunately thousands of Ford truck buyers are experiencing that frustrating scenario right now. The automotive industry is still experiencing the effects of the global pandemic and it seems that it may be a while before things get back to "normal." One major side effect of the pandemic is a shortage of semiconductors which are crucial to the production of vital electronic automotive components.As automakers continue to run up against such shortages they often have no choice but to park unfinished vehicles until the parts they need come in. The problem appears to be getting worse for Ford, as The Drive reported satellite images of Kentucky Speedway's auxiliary parking lots filling up with unfinished Ford trucks. In two images spaced roughly a month apart it can be seen that more trucks were added to the lot over time until the speedway became literally surrounded by brand new, unfinished vehicles.According to a report from CNN, Ford revealed that it is currently holding on to 40,000-45,000 large trucks and SUVs there are still waiting on necessary components to complete production. In February of 2021, the semiconductor shortage was so bad that Ford had to temporarily halt F-150 production at two U.S. plants. In July of this year, GM reported that it had to park 95,000 unfinished vehicles as it waited on chips. Ford is not alone. Shortly after the reveal of the new 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV, GM CEO Mary Barra predicted in an interview that the semiconductor shortage would likely continue into 2023 and into 2024. "I frankly think it's something that's gonna last into next year; maybe a little beyond," said Barra. With automakers vowing to deliver more electric vehicles by 2030, this ongoing semiconductor shortage may result in delays for those promises.
link:https://www.motortrend.com/news/2022-ford-pickup-trucks-f150-chip-shortage-kentucky-speedway/