While Taiwan has occupied a pivotal position in the world’s electronics supply chain, for the longest time no one thought it had a chance of achieving similar success in the auto industry. The perception was that no local company made the crucial components required by internal combustion engine vehicles.
That changed almost overnight when automakers started to complain about a shortage of semiconductors early last year. In the race to accelerate EVs, car companies now require more electronics components than ever before. That’s underscored by the global push for greener and smarter automobiles and consumers’ COVID-induced preference for private transport.
Previously best known as the exclusive main processor supplier for Apple devices, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s name has begun to pop up in almost all conversations about the Great Chip Dearth. Even though autos account for a low-single-digit percentage of TSMC’s overall sales, the Taiwanese chipmaker’s role in the world’s car supply chain was critical enough to bring senior officials from the U.S., Germany and elsewhere to call upon Taiwan to increase production of the microelectronics powering vehicles and other gadgets to aid in the post-COVID economic recovery.