Arab News carries this story on how permitting Saudi women to drive would have a major and positive effect on the overall Saudi economy. I’m not so sure about the third reason being cited as it seems that a lot of Saudi women already own vehicles, as noted later in the piece. But I suspect that there would be a shift in the type or accessorizing of vehicles for that cohort of drivers.

The article is definitely worth reading, though.

Lifting Ban on Women Driving Will Bring Economic Windfall: Experts
Sarah Abdullah, Arab News

JEDDAH, 29 March 2008 — As women’s rights groups continue to steam ahead in full speed petitioning for the reversal of the ban on women’s driving in the Kingdom, experts on the issue conclude that the move, if successful, would not only lift the ban itself but the Saudi economy as well.

“Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways,” said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh.

“First, by putting a large portion of house drivers out of work and increasing the purchasing power of Saudi families; secondly by causing a shift in the ownership of vehicles; and thirdly by a trickle down of additional vehicles being sold to women translating into greater opportunities of opening up new markets.”
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