This would help to solve the problem of chip shortages.
Ford may have a temporary solution to the microchip shortage that continues to plague automakers. However, Ford could ship incomplete vehicles to dealers to temporarily solve this problem. Once the chips become available, stores can install the chips and sell the products to customers right away.
This information was provided by four people who are familiar with the plan and spoke to Automotive News. The automaker has not yet made a decision. According to the report, some dealers may be hesitant about having unsellable vehicles on their lot and taking on the risk of installing the chips. Others are happy to accept incomplete models.
Current plans are that dealers could opt to accept vehicles in need for chips. This would eliminate the issue of dealers not having enough space or the desire for them to accept them. Ford will train technicians to install the chips in shops that are willing to take the models. A source said that the hour-long compensation for labor takes less than an hours. Automotive News
Ford claims that this plan has two main advantages. The first is that the factories are limited in space to store unfinished vehicles. It’s also faster to ship an incomplete model, then install the chips, than wait to send it to different showrooms.
Ford is yet to make a decision on the implementation of this strategy.
Ford has had serious problems with chip shortages. This could have contributed to the F Series sales falling 30% year-over-year between June 2021 and June 2020. The Mustang sales dropped by 6.6% in Q2 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.