Chip shortage may spoil the party for carmakers this festive season

Once the festive season is in full cry, the wait may be extended to six to nine months, and even spill over to the next calendar year, say auto dealers

Festival season typically comes with rise in demand along with offers and sales in consumer-facing sectors. Will it be any different this time? The first of a 4-part series checks out the mood in the automobile industry.

For automakers, the festive season is about raking it in through ramped up sales and attractive consumer offers. However, despite the robust demand, what may spoil the party this year is a global shortage of semiconductors.

The global shortage of chips has been disrupting production. This, coupled with the fact that demand for cars is set to rise further in the coming months, will likely