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DETROIT — The global shortage of semiconductors has forced General Motors and Ford to further cut production at their North American factories as chip supplies seem to be growing tighter.

Automakers want a portion of the money Congress approved for addressing the global semiconductor shortage to be reserved for vehicle-grade chips — warning of a potential 1.3 million shortfall in car and light-duty truck production in the U.S. this year.

DETROIT — General Motors Co. is halting production for two weeks at its Missouri midsize truck plant due to a global semiconductor supply constraint, the automaker said March 24.

Many of the world’s biggest automakers are suspending operations at their factories in Asia, Europe and North America due to a persistent shortage of semiconductors that was exacerbated by a fire at a key chip-producing plant over the weekend.

NEW YORK — A fire at a plant owned by Japanese chipmaker Renesas could deepen the ongoing global semiconductor shortage that has especially hampered automobile production.

Renesas Electronics Corp., one of the biggest makers of automotive chips, said a fire halted production at one of its Japanese plants. The incident may exacerbate a shortage of semiconductors that has already curbed vehicle output across the industry.