A semiconductor shortage continues to wreak havoc on global supply chains of auto and tech industries. Semiconductor manufacturers produce hundreds of different kinds of chips. Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia manufacture some of the most expensive ones, ranging from $100 to more than $1,000, powering computers and smartphones. But the shortage is not with the most expensive chips. According to Bloomberg, the shortage is among inexpensive display driver chips that cost $1. 

A display driver chip is an inexpensive chip whose sole purpose is to communicate basic instructions for illuminating computer monitors, TVs, smartphones, smart home devices, among other things. The shortage of driver chips has made it remarkably painful for supply chains of auto and tech industries who have scaled back or suspended production of certain products in recent months due to their inability to source the $1 chips.