Even keys can become too “smart” for their own good, as Toyota has found out.
The top-selling automaker in the world announced today that, as it rushes to deliver cars to customers in Japan, it will temporarily replace one of the two electronic “smart” keys it provides there with a mechanical one.
This is a temporary approach to get cars to consumers as quickly as possible, Toyota stated in a statement, apologizing for the inconvenience as the chip scarcity persisted.
It said, “As for the second smart key, we intend to deliver it as soon as it is prepared.”
Many consumers had to wait years to receive their cars as a result of a substantial delay in production and shipments due to the global scarcity of chips.
This year, natural disasters and other calamities have been particularly hard on Toyota, compounding its problems.
The corporation issued a warning last week that it was likely not going to be able to produce the initial forecast of 9.7 million vehicles for the current fiscal year.
