[CamperBob2]

"Buying your way to the front of the line" may work if it involves paying $18 for a part that normally costs $15. (Even so, the automakers will scream bloody murder over much less.)

That's not what's happening. What's happening is that the $15 part now costs $150, and is only available from sketchy Asian brokers that aren't on anyone's list of approved vendors.

The semiconductor houses had better unfuck themselves SOON, or 2022 will go down in history next to 1929. I don't think anyone understands how serious this situation is getting.

[fragmede]

Between flooding and Covid-19 lockdowns, the semiconductor houses aren't, like, choosing to be shut, they're closed because of global climate change. This is only going to get worse as the climate changes dramatically within our lifetimes.