Celebrating women in the automotive industry

One of the industries that grossly under-represents women is the automotive industry. In this month of March, which is Women’s History Month, in honour of women everywhere, we are taking a look at how some (of many) truly exceptional women were at the forefront of innovation and achievements in the automotive world from its early history onwards some of whom I’d like to present more in detail.

1) Bertha Benz: If this name rings a bell, it’s because of the well-known Mercedes Benz brand. Bertha was the acclaimed wife of Carl Benz, the engineer who practically started the automotive industry with his innovative design for a petroleum-fuelled automobile. A strong-willed and forward-thinker, she pretty much shocked her acquaintances when she invested her whole dowry in building the company of her then future husband. She practically pioneered the luxury car company Mercedes Benz.  The first person to drive a car over a long distance and her drive led to improvement like brake pads and gear shift.

2) Charlotte Bridgwood: The automatic windshield wiper falls into the category of items without which we can’t really imagine driving. The automatic window shield wiper started became a reality thanks to Charlotte Bridgwood, who in 1917 took the existing manual wiper model invented in 1903 by Mary Anderson (another woman), and upgraded it to its automated version. Her model introduced rollers to facilitate the wiper’s movement over the surface of a windshield.

3) Margaret Wilcox: Wilcox is one of the first female mechanical engineers of her time. She invented the first car heater, and her invention became the basis for modern heating systems.

4) Mary Barra: A figure which should come to mind when thinking of iconic women in the automotive industry.

She is First female CEO of a leading global automaker (and an extraordinarily successful one at that)

The most powerful woman in business in 2017 according to Fortune Magazine.

In a business environment which is more competitive by the day, Mary Barra lists her company on the top innovators list, with the announcement that General Motors has committed to going 100 per cent on the electric cars route. Her mix of discipline and vision is not limited to the automotive industry. Mary Barra is an active presence in the community life of Detroit, raising impressive sums of money for school programs or charities.

5) Michelle Christensen: Another visionary female figure Michelle, she managed to marry her artistic inclinations with her passion for cars. This has resulted in a fruitful career in the automotive industry. More specifically, Michelle specialises in car design. Her work includes Acura and Honda acclaimed models: Acura ZDX and RDX, Acura RL and RLX, Honda NSX second generation. As Lead Principal Designer at Honda, Michelle is a role model and has made a tremendous impact as the first woman to lead a supercar design team.

6) Sandra Aguebor is a Nigerian mechanic. She is reported as being the first woman mechanic in Nigeria. She is also the founder of “Lady Mechanic Initiative”, that trains sexually abused and underprivileged women to become mechanic and fend for themselves.

7) Joyce Daser-Adams, is a lady mechanic and Founder, Autolady Garage and Autolady Inspire Foundation. A Mechanical Engineer by training, she is a member of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMech) and is making her mark in a male-dominated profession.  She has trained and is training hundreds of Nigerian youths, especially ladies, in the trade, through her personal efforts as well as through the NIMech – backed Girls Auto Squad, a training programme for girls interested in auto mechanical works.

In the near future, we are to see even more great women like the ones I presented in this article, with automotive schools and degrees being more concerned to focus their efforts toward attracting more female students.

I must conclude that we are living in times of great opportunities for women to branch out as leaders, creators, and tech innovators in the automotive frontlines.

To every woman out there, I wish you a belated Happy International Women’s Day. #choosetochallenge.

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