Other carmakers have been hit by the auto chip shortage, including Ford Motor Co. in early January, which idled a Louisville, Kentucky, SUV assembly facility for a week. RELATED: Chip shortages hit even as auto chip sales climb The auto chip supply problem became severe in the fourth quarter of 2020 when carmakers saw a big increase in sales and production after some spring 2020 assembly plant shutdowns due to the pandemic. Chip companies in earnings reports over the past two weeks have said the chip supply shortage is real but will be resolved in coming weeks and months.