BMW is reportedly planning to remove touchscreens from several models of its vehicles in an attempt to mitigate the global semiconductor shortage’s impact on its production levels.
Autoblog reports that BMW is planning to ship 3 Series; 4 Series Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe; and X5, X6, X7, and Z4 models without touchscreens. The company is also said to be planning to remove the Backup Assistant feature from the vehicles’ Parking Assistant Package.
“As you know, the global chip shortage is ongoing and impacting automakers worldwide,” BMW told Autoblog. “We are actively managing the situation and are in close contact with our suppliers. We do not have any further detail to share at this time.”
There is some good news for people looking to buy a BMW in the near future: Because these vehicles are supposed to have touchscreens, the company is offering a $500 credit to people who purchase a unit that ships without one, which can help defray the cost of the vehicle.
This is a relatively small concession from BMW. Other automakers have been forced to cut production—Toyota reduced its output by 40% in September, for example, and GM has wound down production at plants throughout North America—because of the ongoing chip shortage.
