Well, what sane person likes to travel in the crowded public transport these days, where half of the idiots can't even wear the mask properly? Anyway, that is an offtopic and an only partial explanation, why cars are still the no.1 in personal transport. Especially when travel by car is at times significantly cheaper and significantly more comfortable, than the public transport.
And, I thought I've read somewhere recently, that the cause of shortages were due to the automotive industry. And before the general shortage of the semicondutors came, I've seen at least shortage of ST-made stuff, that was (at least at that time) thought to be caused by some strikes in France?