The chips are down: why there’s a semiconductor shortage

A new type of 300mm wafer with semiconductor chips and finished microchips of the semiconductor German manufacturer Bosch in Dresden, Germany. The dearth of chips has exposed the modern world’s reliance on these miniscule components, the basic building blocks of computers which allow electronic devices to process data. — AFP

PARIS: A shortage of semiconductors has sent shockwaves through the global economy, squeezing supplies of everything from cars to headphones.

The dearth of chips has exposed the modern world’s reliance on these miniscule components, the basic building blocks of computers which allow electronic devices to process data. Why is the shortage happening, and what can be done about it?