More and more women are entering the automotive industry with a vision to increase diversity and create more space for the future generation to join. Some have even climbed high enough to secure leadership positions and make a lasting impact.
Check out the best of the best in 2025. Report by Oscar Collins, Founder of Modded.
1. Fume Garage
Fume Garage is a women-owned and operated workshop in Queensland, Australia. While 87% of the auto mechanic industry is made up of men, there is a growing number of female mechanics who are paving the way to showcase women’s excellence. It has even received recognition as one of the best mechanics within the industry.
Mariah Thiele and her exceptional all-women team prioritise delivering quality service and education to help women. Female customers often go through mistreatment when seeking assistance and automotive services, so Fume Garage hopes to empower them with confidence and knowledge.
2. Elektrobit
Elektrobit in Germany is an award-winning vendor of connected software products and services within the automotive industry. It powers more than 600 million vehicles with over five billion embedded devices that span multiple countries. CEO Maria Anhalt leads the charge in the business, previously working as the Chief Technology Officer within the same company.
One inspiring initiative for 2025 is its active Environment, Safety and Health or ESH Protection. Its key goal is to conserve resources and prevent pollution that would create emissions and waste. It also prioritises increasing the recycling rate while eliminating hazards that may harm employees, partners and suppliers.
3. Girls Auto Clinic
Girls Auto Clinic from Upper Darby in Pennsylvania aims to increase women’s representation in auto companies. It coined the term “shecanic” to start a movement where girls redefine the automotive world. It provides repair services for drivers of all genders, with customers getting a free manicure at the Clutch Beauty Bar and Lounge.
Founder Patrice Banks is also passionate about empowering women in the buying and repair process. She understands how girls are often taken advantage of and the scarce resources that can ease their anxiety, despite how they make up half of the automotive industry’s customer base. Thus, she launches Car Care Workshops to help women learn more about their cars.
The Girls Auto Clinic workshops are incredibly generous with information sharing and the classes are interactive and fun. Learn about the common maintenance tasks, failures and costs within the industry, from checking the fluid levels to analysing the tires’ conditions and more.
4. BMW
Luxury car manufacturer BMW turned heads at CES with the BMW iX Flow, a colour-changing concept car and then the i Vision Dee. Behind all this innovation was Dr. Stella Clarke, whose work is set to make an incredible impact in the auto space.
As project lead for BMW’s E Ink technology, Dr. Clarke helped engineer a vehicle body that can shift colours on command using the same electrophoretic film found in e-readers. This futuristic tech is likely to change the trajectory of car aesthetics and personalisation for everyday drivers.
5. Zoox
Zoox is an American technology company in Foster City, California, best known for its robotaxi production. The design is geared toward customer comfort, with riders controlling the music, temperature and more while enjoying wireless charging and ride-tracking inside the vehicle.
CEO Aicha Evans has been vocal about her need for safety-first autonomous mobility. These cars have various technologies that enable their self-driving function. For instance, cameras help track pedestrians and cyclists while detecting traffic lights and open space. It works with articulating radars to detect other vehicles and navigate the road.
Aside from sharing information about its state-of-the-art technology, Evans is future-oriented and is focused on increasing accessibility to autonomous vehicles. Zoox is already being tested and deployed in different parts of the U.S.
6. Hyundai
Hyundai has numerous female executives who help navigate the automotive industry, providing fresh perspectives on what works. Recently, Reuters recognized three of them as the 2025 Trailblazing Women in Automotive.
Claudia Marquex is the Hyundai Motor America COO, focusing on U.S. business growth and operational excellence. Kate Fabian, the director of marketing communications under the same main branch, builds brand strategy and consumer engagement.
There’s also Olabisi Boyle, the senior vice president of Hyundai Motor North America, who leans into the company’s mobility strategy. It’s the first time three women from a company received the honour within the same year.
7. Hoyles
Hoyles is a women-led MOT testing facility and service center in Todmorden. Director Louisa Hollows and her team members are just a small portion of the many female entrepreneurs who are challenging stereotypes and creating careers in the automotive world across West Yorkshire, Lancashire and beyond in the UK.
Aside from running MOT tests, Hoyles is also a recognized EV specialist and commercial vehicle seller. Explore different automotive parts, accessories and models. Drivers can also seek advice and recommendations without fear.
8. Webasto
Webasto from Germany is a roofing, battery and thermo systems supplier to automotive manufacturers around the world. Its innovative products have been essential when it comes to increasing sustainability while maintaining driver and passenger comfort.
COO Yanni von Roy-Jiang is a Chinese native who details how being a cultural hybrid helps her have a strong perspective when starting and running projects. She has been pivotal in Webasto’s survival in a fast-changing landscape.
Champion Women in the Auto Industry
These female leaders inspire all the young women who show an interest in the automotive industry and even those who want to enter other male-dominated spaces. Doing it with grace and excellence can equalise the playing field.
