The global shortage of semiconductor chips continues to create difficulties for the auto industry. This problem forced the American concern General Motors to temporarily remove the Active Fuel Management (AFM) cylinder deactivation module from the design of the gasoline V8, which saves fuel.
According to Reuters, the 355-horsepower 5.3-liter engine of the Ecotec3 family has lost the module; it is installed on the very popular American full-size pickup trucks Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.
AFM operates in automatic mode and shuts off up to four cylinders at low engine load. This makes the pickup more economical by about 10%. In other words, without the module, fuel consumption instantly increases.
GM did not specify how many vehicles will be deprived of the AFM system.
GM has been serially using its own cylinder deactivation system on some gasoline engines since 1981.
Also on March 15, GM announced it was shutting down its Lansing plant due to chip supply issues, which makes the Chevrolet Camaro, as well as the Cadillac CT4 and CT5.
The global chip shortage has also affected other automakers, including Toyota Motor, Nissan, Honda Volkswagen and Ford Motor, according to Reuters.
Earlier it was reported that in the short term, the Russian auto industry may also face this problem.
The shortage of chips was triggered by a decrease in output amid the “coronavirus” crisis in 2020. However, demand for components from automotive companies recovered faster than expected - chip suppliers did not have time to adjust.
General Motors removes cylinder deactivation from V8 engines due to lack of chips
