Women Behind the Wheel

From the thrill of getting a driver's license to commuting, from vintage muscle cars to electric vehicles and smart cars, this groundbreaking exploration reveals the outsized impact the car has had—will continue to have—on the lives of women around the world. Since their inception cars have defined American culture, but until quite recently car histories were largely written by and about men—with little attention given to the fascinating story of women and their relationship with cars. In this engaging narrative, Nancy A. Nichols—the daughter of a used car salesman—uses the cars her father sold and the ones her family drove as proxies to tell a larger story about women and their relationship to the automobile, from the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Convertible, to the minivan and the now ubiquitous SUV. Cars have shaped every facet of women’s lives. From helping them to secure the right to vote, to changing the nature of romance, to influencing fashion and child rearing, cars have created possibilities for both commerce and romance even as they exposed women to new kinds of danger or left them isolated in barren suburban settings. From old race cars to new electric vehicles, Women Behind the Wheel explores this gendered landscape detailing why cars are both more expensive and more dangerous for women drivers. The automobile is on the cusp of momentous change. As we advance to the era of electric and autonomous vehicles, Nichols shows us why we should hit the brakes and look back in the rear-view mirror at this long and fascinating history. What is the role of car in our lives? Should we be more skeptical of technology in our society? Women Behind the Wheel shows that only by understanding the many ways the car has changed us we will be better prepared to enter this brave new era.