Women drivers a new market
Saudi Arabia’s move to let take females take the wheel has car makers excited
The move ... is part of a larger effort to modernise and diversify the kingdom’s economy
Car companies haven’t wasted any time courting the 9 million potential customers unlocked when Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women drivers. The decision has lit up social media, with both cheers and jeers for the ruling, which takes effect in June. Also j oining t he chorus are carmakers looking to capitalise on the move, racing each other to get their first words out to woo prospective female drivers in the Middle East’s biggest economy.
In a Twitter post titled “Welcome to the driver’s seat,” Ford attached an image of a woman’s eyes appearing in a rear-view mirror against a black background. In another tweet under the hashtag #SaudiWomenCanDrive, it offered to give a “dream car” — a bright yellow Mustang — to a wellknown women’s rights campaigner.
Land Rover and Jaguar posted an image of a handbag spilling out a car key, lipstick and a bottle of perfume among other items, with titles that say “Adventure awaits you” and “The road is yours.”
Volkswagen published a black picture, placing the words “My turn” between two henna-tattooed fists. Mini went further, attaching a 11-second film showing a Mini Cooper driving off a parking space with words painted in white that say “Reserved for Women”.
The move by King Salman bin Abdulaziz to issue driver’s licences to women is part of a larger effort to modernise and diversify the kingdom’s economy and reduce its reliance on oil.
The change may add about US$90 billion to economic output by 2030, said Ziad Daoud, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence.
Increased mobility means more women will be able to seek work, which could boost discretionary income. Opening up the car market in the nation of 32 million won’t only boost demand for cars, but also for such related products as insurance, loans and billboard ads, which currently are barred from depicting women.
While sports utility vehicles have been a fixture on Saudi roadways, carmakers may need to make more smaller models for single working women and female students, analysts say. On the flip side, ride-hailing services like Uber could see a decline as more women get behind the wheel.
For now, car companies are trying to capture the attention of their potential female drivers.
Toyota, whose vehicles made up 32 per cent of all those sold in Saudi Arabia last year, tweeted a picture of a female driver standing next to a shiny blue car. Its high-end Lexus brand published an image of a woman’s finger on an ignition switch with its website and phone number underneath. “Share your choice with us?” it asks in Arabic.
Nissan, which, like Toyota, is considering making cars in the kingdom, published a number plate printed with “2018” and “Girl” in Arabic, congratulating Saudi women who now have the “permission to drive”. —