The German carmaker is preparing for the "new normal" of supply chain disruptions.

Volkswagen no longer sees chip shortages ending in 2023, Murat Aksel, head of procurement on the Volkswagen board, told German weekly Automobilwoche.

"Investments for new capacity are now on track, but there will probably still be a structural shortfall in semiconductors up to and including 2023," Aksel told the weekly, adding that "it's a structural issue that can't be solved so quickly."

Murat Aksel

In contrast, the supply of wire harnesses - which had been scarce after Russia's February invasion of Ukraine - is no longer a problem, he said.

Aksel, on the other hand, said that "what we've seen in supply chains over the last two years is now the new normal," and that Volkswagen is investing heavily into early detection "if anything, it's going to get even more complex and challenging [with the new geopolitical issues]".

The global automotive industry faces a shortage of electronic chips in 2020. Microelectronics manufacturers are still unable to meet the increased demand after the pandemic, and the auto industry has to compete with technology giants such as Apple. Both large and small automakers are having their operations hindered by microelectronics supply issues.