Apparently, miniaturisation never reached the automotive industry and computer chips rely on obsolete technology often well over a decade old. These employ comparatively simple transistors that can be anywhere from 45 nanometers to as much as 90 nanometers in size, far too large.

Apparently, it is the big chips that are in short supply.

Gelsinger said Intel could make as many Intel 16 nanometer chips as they want. Rather than spending billions on new 'old' fabs, “let's spend millions to help migrate designs to modern ones".

One of the issues is that most systems in cars are safety-critical and need to perform in practically every situation regardless of temperature, humidity, vibrations, and even minor road debris. With so much at stake, car makers see tried and true is better than new and improved.

But the days of the auto industry relying on these cheap commodity chips seem numbered. While the older chips are cheaper and have earned their right to exist, Big Tech cannot be bothered making them any more.