Female Innovators in the Auto Industry

Female Innovators in the Auto Industry

March is Women’s History Month, and here at McLarty Daniel Chevrolet in Springdale, AR we’re celebrating women pioneers and inventors who transformed the automotive industry through their innovation and hard work, making it possible for later generations to enjoy the fruits of their genius. From completing the first road trip to making automobile interiors more sophisticated and luxurious, these women have inspired us and made our world a little safer and much better.

Bertha Benz (1849-1944)

German automotive pioneer Bertha Benz was the wife of German inventor Carl Benz, who created the first gasoline-powered car in 1886. Bertha is a pioneer in her own right, however, as she is the first person to embark on a long-distance “road trip.” Seeking to prove the reliability of her husband’s invention, in 1888, Bertha and her sons took an early prototype of Benz’s car and drove it a then-incredible 120 miles. This first-ever road trip took Bertha 12 hours to complete, traveling from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In her honor, the Bertha Benz Memorial Route is now a historic route you can travel in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Denise McCluggage (1927-2015)

Though there was a time when women were barred from auto racing, there have long been women looking to be the fastest thing on wheels. Pioneering race driver Denise McCluggage began to race professionally in the late 1950s, and eventually became the fastest American auto racing driver of any gender. Her trademark was a white helmet with pink dots, with her racing achievements including winning the grand touring category at Sebring in a Ferrari 250 GT in 1961, and a class win in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964. She also participated in the Nürburgring 1000 km sports car race. After she ended her racing career in the late 1960s, McCluggage continued her pioneering ways by becoming a female automotive journalist at AutoWeek magazine.

Helene Rother (1908–1999)

A native of Leipzig, Germany, Helene Rother left her war-torn homeland in 1943 and eventually moved to Detroit, where she joined the team at General Motors. Soon after, she became the first woman to work as an automotive designer, specializing in interior upholstery, fabrics, lighting, and hardware. Rother eventually began her own female-led design studio and continued to gain success and recognition as a female pioneer in the industry. In addition to her important work making automobiles safer and more beautiful, she also designed furniture, jewelry, fashion accessories, and stained glass windows. She was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2020.

We are proud and honored to share these courageous women’s stories with you. What great accomplishments each woman achieved not only for the automotive industry but for women’s equality, and making our world a much better place. When you are ready to strike out after your own place in history, let us assist you in making that happen in the vehicle that is perfect for you. Come by McLarty Daniel Chevrolet in Springdale and test drive your future! Hope to see you soon!

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT THE MCLARTY DANIEL SALES TEAM