New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that British car production remains weak because of supply-chain limitations and labour shortages, which could potentially stifle economic recovery even as the industry sees positive developments in electric vehicle production and exports.  

While output is up from a year ago, ongoing shortages of staff because of the ‘pingdemic’ – notifications from the UK’s health service app that indicate when someone should self-isolate following potential exposure to Covid-19 – and the global scarcity of semiconductors have kept the industry’s revival from reaching pre-pandemic levels.