According to Automotive News Europe, Stellantis found an interesting way to “help” the current generation of Peugeot 308 to overcome the shortage of chips (integrated circuits), due to the lack of semiconductor materials, which affects the automobile industry.
Thus, to get around the problem, Peugeot will replace the digital instrument panels of the 308 — it is still the second generation and not the third, recently revealed, but not yet on sale — with panels with analog instruments.
Speaking to Reuters, Stellantis called this solution "a smart and agile way around a real hurdle for car production until the crisis is over."
Less flashy but with fewer processors, analog panels allow you to "dribble" the crisis that the car industry is facing.
Peugeot 308s with traditional instrument panels are expected to roll off the production line in May. According to the French channel LCI, Peugeot should give a discount of 400 euros on these units, however the brand refused to comment on this possibility.
This bet on the analogue instrument panels on the 308, allows safeguarding the digital instrument panels for its latest and most popular models, such as the 3008.
a cross-cutting problem
As you are well aware, the current shortage of semiconductor materials is transversal to the automobile industry, with several manufacturers feeling this crisis “in their skin”.
Due to this crisis, Daimler will reduce the working hours of 18,500 workers, in a measure that I have seen affect mainly the production of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
In the case of Volkswagen, there are reports that the German brand will partially stop production in Slovakia due to the lack of chips. Hyundai, on the other hand, is preparing to see production be affected (with a reduction of close to 12,000 cars) after having tripled profits in the first quarter.
Joining the brands affected by this crisis is Ford, which has faced production stoppages due to the lack of chips, mainly in Europe. We also have Jaguar Land Rover which has also announced production breaks at its British factories.