Barra: GM will make 'substantial shifts' in supply chain over chips

FILE PHOTO: Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., July 12, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra said Friday the largest U.S. automaker plans to make changes in its supply chain as it works to address the continuing semiconductor chip crisis that has forced significant production cuts.

"We're going to make some pretty substantial shifts in our supply chain," Barra said in an online interview. "We're already working much deeper into the tiered supply base because generally General Motors doesn't buy chips (directly) but (our suppliers do). But now we're building direct relationships with the manufacturers."