This isn’t BMW’s first concession in response to the chip shortage. BMW stated in November that it would no longer ship certain of its new vehicles without touchscreens and a backup assistant feature, and offered impacted drivers a $500 credit in exchange.
The shortfall also had a significant influence on other automakers, such as General Motors. Wireless charging has been removed from a number of GM vehicles, a fuel management module has been removed from certain of its trucks, and the automated Super Cruise option in the Cadillac Escalade 2022 has been removed. Ford recently began shipping and selling Explorer SUVs without rear heating and air conditioning controls for a limited time.
