CodeInStack

This April, 19 million new cars were sold in America — the highest level since 2005. But these weren’t just any old cars. Today’s Chevy Silverados and Ram 1500s are not quite the same as those sold a year or even a few months ago. Something very strange is happening a cross the industry.  Features, packages, even certain parts have suddenly disappeared from recently manufactured vehicles. An exceptionally observant buyer of a ‘21Silverado, for example, might notice their truck getting about one less mile per gallon than was advertised earlier this year on the same model. Recent Peugeot 308 hatchback owners, mean while, may be surprised to find the digital speedometer shown on TV replaced with an old-fashioned analog version. And the dashboard display on the Renault Arkana mysteriously got a little bit smaller.  It’s as if they’re playing a game: What tiny things can they change without anyone noticing? The actual explanation is a global shortage of semiconductors — the chips t...