OEMs mostly quiet on Biden chip data request as more advanced chips get investment dollars

While auto manufacturers may be anxious to obtain more semiconductors, they’re not so eager to talk when it comes to the Biden administration’s push for their chip data. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo recently threatened to use the Defense Production Act to get automakers to hand over information regarding their chip inventories versus their actual production needs. Raimondo believes that having such data can help curb hoarding and create a more equitable approach to divvying up chips from strained manufacturers.[Related: Truck orders drop but ‘order number is not a true indicator of 2022 truck demand] But providing unprecedented access to such information may do little to help vehicle manufacturers in the midst of a global economy hungry for the latest electronics that don’t use older chips typically sourced for vehicle production. “I’m a little dubious about what a chip czar within a given region can do because this is such a global industry,” said IHS Markit senior analyst Phil Amsrud who closely studies the semiconductor market. “The supply chains are global. The competitors are global both inside and outside of automotive that I don’t know how within a given country you prioritize that.”While electric vehicles like this Volvo VNR Electric use more microchips than conventional, they’re “not a driving factor” in the chip shortage according to IHS Markit senior adviser Phil Amsrud.Volvo TrucksOut of several OEMs contacted by Commercial Carrier Journal, only Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks and Stellantis responded when asked if they planned on handing over chip data. Volvo and Mack, both subsidiaries of Volvo Group, reported that they were “looking into the RFI [request for information]” while Stellantis had already pledged support for the request. “Stellantis will cooperate with U.S. Government-led initiatives aimed at improving transparency and alleviating ongoing constraints in global semiconductor supply chains,” a company statement from…