MISSING SUPER CHIPS: NOT THE SNACK KIND

EV Channels Review

This episode of Garage Talk delves into the ongoing automotive chip shortage and its impact on vehicle production, focusing on features being cut by manufacturers. While the hosts express frustration with the situation, they highlight specific examples like BMW removing touchscreen functionality, Cadillac's Super Cruise being temporarily halted, and GM's decision to omit heated seats and steering wheels. The discussion also touches on the surprising resilience of used car values and the potential for manufacturers like Toyota to recover sooner due to their production strategies. The hosts critique the over-complication of modern vehicles, suggesting simpler designs could mitigate such issues. Ultimately, they find solace in the fact that most cuts don't prevent a vehicle from running, but question the necessity of certain technologies like cylinder deactivation and auto start-stop.