Automotive industry faces looming supply shock as DRAM memory makers pivot to AI-centric HBM
The legacy DRAM supply base is not vanishing, but it is consolidating into a high-margin segment where availability depends on the buyer’s willingness to pay. As a result, OEMs and tier 1 suppliers must decide whether memory becomes a strategic spend to secure continuity of production.
The automotive industry faces renewed turbulence as the Nexperia chip shortage disrupts supply chains already strained since the 2021–2022 crisis. While the industry is only now closing out the latest shortage episode linked to Nexperia components, a more disruptive challenge is emerging: a potential shortage of automotive DRAM chips beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
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