(Yicai Global) Sept. 14 -- A shortage of semiconductors after the coronavirus stymied production at chipmakers in Malaysia has driven the black market price of Bosch’s electronic stability program chips in China up more than 300 times.

The chip’s black market price has surged to about CNY4,000 (USD620) apiece, from CNY2,500 in mid-August and CNY1,500 at the start of August, Yicai Global learned from an executive at a Chinese automaker. They earlier cost just CNY13 (USD2) eac

A Bosch supplier was forced to shutter its chip plant in Muar, Malaysia on Aug. 16 due to a Covid-19 outbreak, David Xu, executive vice president of Bosch China Investment, said the following day. Various kinds of chips, including for ESP, integrated power braking, and vehicle control, would be unavailable in China for some time, he added. Xu later said the supplier was STMicroelectronics, which has a large back-end package testing plant in Muar, with 4,000 staff

Malaysia’s auto and chip manufacturing sector did not resume production until the end of last month, an executive at a local carmaker told Yicai Global

Bosch has not revealed what share its ESP chips have in China’s auto manufacturing sector, but a number of carmakers estimate it at about 70 percent. The other two leading suppliers, Continental and Mando, also rely on STMicroelectronics for chips.

Bosch’s ESP chip shortage will last at least until early next month because of the coronavirus situation in Malaysia and the time needed between testing and production to shipping, according to an industry source.

Editors: Liao Shumin, Futura Costaglione