Chip shortage leads carmaker Opel to shut German plant until 2022
What I'll never understand is why carmakers don't take advantage of this situation and address a market that's been literally BEGGING for decades for a new product:<p>A simple, basic car, with the ONLY electronic control being for:<p>- Valve timing
 - Fuel injection
 - Oxygen and throttle
 - Emissions<p>There's a market for budget and privacy oriented customers that all carmakers seem to have ignored for two decades now. Give us a simple car with no GPS navigation, ass warmers, tire pressure sensors, telemetry, backup cameras, USB chargers, proximity detectors, traction control, keyless entry, remote climate control, etc.<p>But instead of addressing this market, these carmakers have decided to throw up their hands and shut down production or pile up unfinished inventory waiting on chips. It makes precisely zero sense.<p>I understand the re-engineering is a cost. But when you're simply removing existing features, this should be a fairly negligible one.<p>edit: I wasn't aware any of these luxury features were mandated by governments. Apologies, and disregard.