The estimated number of vehicles axed from automakers’ production plans this year because of the microchip shortage fell slightly last week.

In its latest estimate, AutoForecast Solutions said 3.9 million vehicles have been cut by automakers worldwide this year, a slight improvement from the 3.93 million units it reported a week earlier. 

The numbers are a welcome reprieve for the industry. Looking ahead, microchip availability could improve next year as demand in other sectors eases, said Sam Fiorani, AFS vice president of global vehicle forecasting.

“Moving some of the production capacity to automotive chips could ease the tight supply and might shorten the production bottlenecks, possibly by the middle or late in the new year,” Fiorani wrote in an email.

Source: AutoForecast Solutions Inc.