First Saudi Arabian appointed to women’s car of year panel

For the first time a juror from Saudi Arabia has been appointed to the Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) panel.

Layan Damanhouri, a motoring journalist on Al-Bilad newspaper, joined the international jury composed exclusively of female motoring journalists.

It is an important milestone given that until 2018 women were banned from driving in Saudi Arabia. The lifting of the 30-year ban introduced social reforms aimed to empowering women in a country that formerly had some of the world’s strictest gender-based laws.

The lifting of the ban, long considered to be a symbol of repression, freed women from dependence on private chauffeurs or male relatives. Since the restriction was lifted, hundreds of thousands of driving licences have been issued to women.

With Damanhouri’s appointment, the women’s competition now has 66 judges from 48 countries. She has covered the dropping of the ban as well as news related to the automotive industry in Saudi Arabia.

The majority of households in Saudi Arabia own or drive a car due to the population being concentrated in large cities that are not pedestrian-friendly. In 2021, Saudi Arabia imported $12.1bn worth of cars, becoming the 13th-largest importer in the world.

WWCOTY was created by New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre in 2009. The Kia Niro is the 2023 winner of the competition.