Communications of the ACM
Ford Steps Into the Chips Business
Ford is the latest example of a company realigning its business model as it grapples with pandemic-related disruptions.
Credit: Jeff Kowalsky/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Ford Motor Co. is looking to get into the semiconductor business, after a year of computer-chip shortages that snarled its global factory output.
Ford entered a strategic agreement with U.S.-based chip maker GlobalFoundries Inc. to develop chips, a pact that could eventually lead to joint production in the U.S., the companies said Thursday. They didn't disclose terms or say how much they might invest in future production capacity.
The semiconductor shortage has scuttled output of millions of planned vehicles industrywide this year. Some car executives have said they are taking steps to get a better handle on their chip supplies, a critical piece of the supply chain into which they have had little visibility.
Ford is the latest example of companies realigning their business models as they grapple with the pandemic-related disruptions. Multinational companies got an early shock in the health crisis when border closings, local restrictions and lockdowns caused chaos. Some have decided on permanent solutions.
From The Wall Street Journal
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