Open road

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The lifting of the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia is a historical milestone. It is one of the greatest measures taken by the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, to enhance the role of women in Saudi society. Not only does it signify independence for women, it also acts as a crucial step in boosting the economy. This landmark change has opened a host of incremental opportunities for car manufacturers to make further forays into one of the biggest economies in the Middle East.

Previously, women were dependent on a male family member or, if affordable, a driver to escort them around, but the lifting of the driving ban has also lifted this dependency.

The desire to be independent and take charge of their lives is evident in the fact that – since the law changed in June last year – a quarter of women have already applied for a driving licence, and a significant proportion ( 61%) of those who haven’t are intending to apply soon. Further to this, more than three-quarters ( 78%) of surveyed women who intend to drive plan to buy a car.

While there is a strong intent to drive, women who don’t want to apply for a licence have concerns about safety and a general fear of driving. Despite the country launching a campaign to educate women on driving and create awareness about safety regulations, it appears more could be done to resolve the fears among the 30% of ‘non-intenders’. This would boost the auto market opportunity further.

The norms of male guardianship are also shifting since the lifting of the ban. For most women, the decision to buy a car rests in their hands, which shows a real movement. Only 16% would have the purchase decided for them by their husbands or family members.

Of the women who intend to drive, the largest proportion state that they are more comfortable starting out with a small car that is easy to park in high-traffic areas and low on fuel consumption. Safety tops their list of high-priority features in a vehicle.

For those who have applied, or intend to apply, for a licence, back cameras and reverse-sensing systems are the most desired features in a car, with smartphone compatibility coming next.

Car makers should look at the key points to align their products and marketing campaigns, meeting the needs – but also the concerns – of the new female driver. Because of the issues of safety, manufacturers must focus on inspiring confidence among new female drivers to push intentions to apply for a licence and buy a vehicle that they are comfortable to drive.

• A quarter of women in Saudi Arabia have already applied for a driving licence – and of those who haven’t, 61% intend to apply
  
• Among these new drivers, the majority ( 78%) plan to buy a car
  
• One in five females does not think they will be a good driver
  
• Safety being a prime concern, small-sized sedan cars are preferred by women drivers ( 16%), followed by medium-sized sedans ( 13%) and medium SUVs ( 11%)

Kerry McLaren is head of Omnibus at YouGov MENA.

Data was collected online by YouGov Omnibus from among 431 respondents in Saudi Arabia, between 6 and 13 August 2018, using YouGov’s panel of more than six million people worldwide. Data is representative of the adult online population in the country.