Ford Motor Co.
- Ford celebrated Women's Day with a Ford Explorer Men's Only Edition.
- It showed just how much women have contributed to the modern automobile.
- It's important to recognize women innovators and continue to boost equity in the auto industry.
Ford celebrated International Women's Day and Women's History Month… by launching an ad campaign for the Ford Explorer Men's Only Edition.
It sounds backward, but that's because it is.
Ford's advertisement this week showcased a new Ford Explorer void of many crucial vehicle features developed by women in the auto industry.
That includes everything from heaters to windshield wipers to turn signals and more.
Rearview mirror? Designed by women. GPS? All were created by women.
Ford
It goes to show just how much of the modern automobile was built by women, and how many of those features are taken for granted. But when a vehicle is stripped down without them, it really makes you think.
In a press release, Ford pointed to women like Stephanie Kwolek, the innovator for tire and brake pads; Dr. Gladys West, the pioneer of the modern-day GPS; Florence Lawrence, a lead on brake and turn signals; and many more whose hard work is directly responsible for the functionalities and luxuries drivers experience and utilize on a daily basis.
Julia Matos, the Ford Mustang Mach-E D&R Engineer, Jackie DiMarco, vehicle programs director for the F-Series and commercial truck business, Nicole Herrera, a CAE and vibration testing engineer, and more have also made an impact on Ford over the years.
Women have made headway in the long male-dominated auto industry, but there is still a long way to go before it's an equitable field for all.
A majority of women are car buyers and also influence car-buying decisions. But Forbes reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics found only 22.4% of "transportation, storage and distribution" management roles were held by women in 2021 — and the auto sector only had slightly more women, at 27.1%.
Increasing diversity overall in the auto industry is crucial. From features on vehicles, to even before those hit the road, recognizing the needs of different identities can actually be life or death. Even vehicle crash test dummies used to mimic predominantly "traditional male figures," which has consequences for safety.