Depressing Photo of Unused Ford Broncos Reveals the Impact of Chip Shortage

Despite some thinking the chip shortage may end soon, Ford is still dealing with its consequences. A photo has surfaced of a lot outside of a Michigan plant full of nearly-finished Ford Broncos missing just one thing: a chip.
Written by Hannah DeWitt
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Inflation is high, gas prices are going up, and the cost of buying a new vehicle reflects that. However, these are not the reasons why you will see the massive amount of
Ford
Broncos parked near the factory. 
Broncos aren't too expensive or overstocked, they are in car purgatory, all because of a small electronic chip.

Ford Broncos are parked semi-permanently

Jalopnik
recently shared a photo on their website that has auto lovers crying into their pillows at night. Thousands of Ford's Broncos, even the Raptor editions, are shown parked in neat rows in a Michigan parking lot. They sit, covered in snow and ice, waiting for the day they can become complete.
None of these depression-inducing Broncos are available for sale, all because they are missing one important piece of equipment. Without the electronic chip, these babies will not roar to life. However, the parts they need to go from lawn ornaments to speed demons are not coming—at least not quickly.
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The global chip shortage is more than the Broncos’ problem

MORE: Ford 7.3 Gas Problems and Other Potential Issues
Everything that has the technology to be programmed carries a chip in it according to a report by
ABC News
. This includes your phone, thermostat, car, and even your electronic door lock! 
The chip production industry was already strained before the effects of the pandemic hit, with most chips being manufactured overseas.
In the two years since the pandemic began, the demand for more technology has increased, with the work from home movement to more popular electric car developments. The supply chain has also been hit with the stoppage and lowered employment from the issues surrounding the pandemic.
The chip shortage isn't just affecting Ford. Every vehicle maker worldwide is scaling back production to account for the long wait for chips. Almost every industry is hit with technical difficulties and higher prices because of the demand for products containing chip technology. Manufacturers are producing as fast as they can, but the shipping and delivery services are just as slow.

Ford’s ‘Ice Mountain’

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When there was no snow in Michigan, the Bronco lot was dubbed the Dirt Mountain, but now that the snow and ice have covered the tops of the Broncos, the name has changed. The “Ice Mountain'' is a depressing sight for those who were eager to get their hands on the new Bronco.
The sad fact is these big machines are waiting on a part that is no bigger than a dime. Shipments are slow, or nonexistent at times, and it leads to slowing of production and potential factory shutdowns.
Ford isn't the only company that has a lot much like the Ice Mountain, but it's one of the few  with pictures that surfaced recently. A movement has been made to bring chip manufacturing back to the U.S. for faster production and shipping times.
Even when they do begin to manufacture the chips in the U.S. again on a large scale, it will still take time to get the correct ones to the automotive companies that desperately need them. Without the chip shortage being solved soon, more vehicles could be parked in a purgatory like the Ice Mountain.

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After your long wait to get the Ford Bronco of your dreams, you will want to make sure every part is covered by adequate insurance at the right price.
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