Chip shortage idles seven Ford assembly plants

The Ford Motor Company has announced that a global semiconductor chip shortage will idle seven assembly plants. The automaker says the Oakville plant will close for three weeks starting April 12^th.  Other plants facing closure or shift cuts are in Dearborn, Michigan, Louisville, Kansas City, Chicago and Avon Lake, Ohio. The moves are having a dramatic effect on production of Ford’s biggest seller, the F-150 pickup.  Industry officials now say the chip shortage could be even worse during the second quarter and the automaker fears they won’t be able to make up the lost production before year’s end. Semiconductors play a significant role in today’s highly-computerized vehicles from engine performance to entertainment systems.