Whether the component is a motor, a control valve, a star tracker, an antenna or a chip, it is simpler to look for non-American alternatives.

ECONOMIST: Space technology

Every hybrid motor needs an inverter, and the key component inside inverters is the integrated gate bipolar transistor, or IGBT.

FORBES: Greenhouse Stocks

And the Fair Trade Commission is investigating allegations that Hyundai Motor colluded with affiliates to put pressure on component suppliers to cut prices.

ECONOMIST: Hyundai Motor

Compounding the problem: the floods have also have affected component suppliers, including the disk-drive motor company Nidec and suspension arm manufacturer Hutchinson Technology, among others.

FORBES: Will Thailand Floods Trigger Shortfalls In PC Production? (Updated)