Some cars' blind spot monitors use radar to detect oncoming traffic. (FOX Business / Fox News) The ongoing semiconductor chip shortage has some new car buyers looking over their shoulders.
Not for good deals, but for oncoming traffic.Automakers struggling to build vehicles during the supply crisis of these essential components have had to remove a variety of electronic features from their vehicles to keep the assembly lines moving over the past two years.Everything from heated seats to fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation systems and touchscreen displays have been removed at times.AUTO BODY SHOPS FACE MONTHS-LONG WAITS FOR PARTS AMID SUPPLY CHAIN BREAKDOWN: ‘VERY FRUSTRATING’Safety features aren’t immune from the cuts.Due in part to a scarcity of sensors, the availability of such optional features as blind spot monitoring systems, proximity alerts and semi-automated driver aids has also been suspended in some cases.Volkswagen and Cadillac are among the brands currently not offering blind spot monitors on some models — but the situation is constantly changing.