Historically the automotive industry has been dominated by men, but things are slowly but surely changing. The automotive industry is facing once-in-a-century changes. In the years ahead, vehicles that are connected, automated, shared, and electrified will radically reshape mobility in ways that will have a profound impact on people and communities across the world.

The glass ceiling in the Automotive industry is showing cracks with women moving up the ladder in executive roles. The world is becoming more politically correct, and workplace rules demand gender diversity. Moreover, the changing technology and the use of Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and innovations require a deep, diverse talent pool. Ignoring 50 percent of this pool makes no sense in such a situation hence, companies are making a conscious effort to have more women board members and executives. A recent online survey by Deloitte and Automotive News found that only 1 percent of women they interviewed considered the auto industry as a viable career option. The reasons were a challenging environment, pay gap, lack of opportunity for progress, and the calibre of people employed. The gender statistics in the industry also give a simple picture. According to a report by Catalyst: In 2018, only 16 women (8%) were executives in the top 20 motor vehicles and parts companies in the Fortune Global 500. This is a small change from 14 women (7%) in 2014.

Over half of the top 20 auto companies have no woman executive on their board. Women Entrepreneur is featuring the list of 10 Best Women Leaders in Automotive. The following list has undergone strict scrutiny by a panel of judges that include industry experts, CXOS, analysts, and the Women Entrepreneur editorial team.