Supply Chains On Thin Ice

In Wheel Time Podcast · Nov 4, 2025 · 30m · transcript

A tiny, overlooked component is bringing giant assembly lines to a halt. We dig into the Nexperia saga—European control, Chinese export blocks, and a packaging choke point—and explain why the “boring” diodes and transistors tucked into door locks, HVAC, and wiper motors matter as much as any cutting-edge processor. When each vehicle hides 300 to 600 of these legacy chips, one missing part can park an entire line, and that’s exactly what Honda, Volkswagen, and Nissan are starting to face.

We connect the supply chain dots to real-world outcomes: reduced shifts, delayed models, and dealer…