Saudi Arabian women (now) drive and buy cars

Saudi Arabia authorised the first wave of women to drive last Sunday. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued a decree in September 2017 allowing women to apply for a driving licence. Thousands of women have already registered for a driving licence and this number is expected to increase by 2020. The province of Mecca is expected to have the highest number of female drivers in the next two years, with just under one million female drivers. Women represent a new market for the Car sales represent. Car sales in Saudi Arabia are expected to increase by around 9 per cent by 2025. The inclusion of Saudi women in the car market promises to be a profitable change, fuelled by the goals of the Crown Prince's Vision 2030 which aims to diversify the economy and reduce Saudi Arabia's economic dependence on oil. The social and economic success of this reform will depend on whether it succeeds in softening the opposition of conservatives to this major modernisation measure. One month before the driving ban was lifted, many women's rights activists were arrested, including those campaigning for women's right to drive. You can find more infographics at Statista