Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

reuters.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

271–280 of 495 posts

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#271

Post by AdrianB1 »

colinmhayes wrote: post #171
ihalip wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The latest Dacia Sandero is selling better than all other models in its class for a few months now - even if it's basically a revamped last-gen Renault Clio with even lower quality interior and safety features. Some people prefer a basic, cheaper car.

Is that because it's literally impossible to buy other cars since they have a chip backlog though? Is it worth redesigning a car for a trend that will be gone next year?

No, it is because it is a lot cheaper and it can be bought by people that otherwise would not be able to buy a car at all. I know people who bought a Sandero for this reason and I was considering buying one one year ago, just before they announced an electric Dacia that I am still waiting for.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#272

Post by ben_w »

awakeasleep wrote: post #253
dahart wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This actually is the idea with truly “free market” thinking, no? The money wasted in a crisis, and the companies killed who would’ve otherwise limped through, is all assumed to be less waste and a better outcome than the alternative we get if we prevent scalpers and/or cap the prices. In this theoretical world, we waste more money when supply runs out too fast, and we get companies that are not as good at competing b…

Actually the original ‘free’ in free markets meant free from economic rents

Ah, that makes a lot more sense than the generalised freedom I’d assumed.

I really should read Wealth of Nations…

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#273

Post by hef19898 »

worldsayshi wrote: post #270
hef19898 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Toyota was among the last to be hit. Also, JIT is not having zero inventory. It is about having the right amount of inventory.

Pedantic comment: is that not what lean is about? Or is "lean" and jit essentially the same thing?

JIT, as Kanban, is part of the Toyota Production System. It is also called Lean nowadays, or simply TPS. The basic principles go back to the US defence industry in WW2, on one hand, and some ingenious ideas from the old Toyota company manufacturing looms.

I also see some of these ideas, tacted assembly lines for example, as far back the Venetian Arsenal cranking out Galleons and Galleasses in unprecedented numbers in the 16th (?) century.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#274

Post by jordache »

caeril wrote: post #21

What I'll never understand is why carmakers don't take advantage of this situation and address a market that's been literally BEGGING for decades for a new product: A simple, basic car, with the ONLY electronic control being for: - Valve timing - Fuel injection - Oxygen and throttle - Emissions There's a market for budget and privacy oriented customers that all carmakers seem to have ignored for two decades now. Give…

You assert removing those "luxury" items results in a car that is immune to chip supply issues.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#275

Post by AdrianB1 »

cedilla wrote: post #97
paganel wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe we should amend/change those laws back.

Perhaps we shouldn't. The EU estimates that half the fatalities on the road will be prevented with these systems. That's 10.000 lives each year. If that's true, increasing the cost marginally is more than worth it (and it really is marginally, budget cars have not noticably increased in price).

They probably estimated from behind a desk to justify some activity, not by research. Over 90% of the fatalities on the road in my country, that has the highest numbers in EU, come from excessive speed and ignoring road laws, something no current safety systems can change. Even airbags are completely useless in a front collision at 150km/h.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#276

Post by leppr »

coryrc wrote: post #228
kbaker wrote: post #114

One important part of the chip shortage is the massive amount of price gouging going on. Every IC is being bought up by new 3rd party distributors to scalp to desperate electronics manufacturers. Take a look at this chip we are just now crossing as an example, click on 'Non-authorized stocking distributors': https://octopart.com/tps2052bdgnr-texas+instruments-699312?r... Win Source has a bunch, but you will pay 6x th…

What's the difference between scalpers and Digikey hypothetically raising their prices sixfold?

It's better that the producer gets the correct price for their items. That way they can invest in their infrastructure or bid up source materials, getting closer to being able to meet demand. On the other hand profits going to the scalpers doesn't contribute towards fixing the problem.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#277

Post by cush »

caeril wrote: post #21

What I'll never understand is why carmakers don't take advantage of this situation and address a market that's been literally BEGGING for decades for a new product: A simple, basic car, with the ONLY electronic control being for: - Valve timing - Fuel injection - Oxygen and throttle - Emissions There's a market for budget and privacy oriented customers that all carmakers seem to have ignored for two decades now. Give…

Most of the tech results in absolutely critical safety features. Backup/blind spot cams, safer cruise control, breaking systems, etc etc. Nobody is begging for more dangerous cars.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#278

Post by yxwvut »

chrisseaton wrote: post #254
the__alchemist wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scalpers hurt anyone launching a hardware product who doesn't have the order quantity to buy direct-from-manufacturer.

I don't get how it hurts anyone to have to pay market rate. If your product doesn't work at market prices, then that's your problem - not scalpers.

This kind of perspective where any intervention-free (often equated with 'free market') outcome is ipso facto a socially good outcome is so frustrating because it transcends policy discussions into morality/dogma. Are you opposed to efforts to curtail rent seeking more broadly?

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#279

Post by wiz21c »

blfr wrote: post #34
clintonb wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the _market_ begging, or a few folks on the internet? The only folks I know that complain about technology in cars are a couple posters on internet forums.

Yeah, I don't like how overcomplicated many products are becoming but even then wouldn't buy a car without at least AC and Bluetooth.

interestingly, I go the opposite direction. I try to buy cars without AC (environmental reasons), without electronics (expensive to fix when they fail 'cos the constructor takes a huge premium on these), with the least possible automation ('cos I think these are overpriced)...

Basically, the more sophisticated a car is, the higher the risk of failure and thus price to fix the failures. Now, I buy inexpensive cars. Maybe if I go for expensive brands, the risk is less.

Re: Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022

#280

Post by lotsofpulp »

quacked wrote: post #247
clintonb wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That statement makes no sense. The folks complaining can still buy those old pickups if they want. All that has happened is they are now older. No one is forcing them to buy a new truck that they use sporadically.

I've investigated about 20 of those old pickups; they're crap, because they've been run into the ground. I want a new old pickup.

That will not happen unless new legislation is passed:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-19/bigger-pi...

Post reply on HN