Cars & Autos | Tuesday 23 October, 2018 2:18 am |

Women in Saudi Arabia are being encouraged to get behind the wheel at a series of fun, informative events being held over the next two months.

Hyundai Motor Park 2018 will enable females with driving licenses to test-drive one of five models on a custom-built track complete with obstacles/props simulating real-life scenarios, from paying for petrol to watching drive-in movies. 

Non-drivers, husbands, and children will also be catered to with food and entertainment.

“We hope Hyundai Motor Park 2018 will boost women’s confidence and enthusiasm about the prospect of being able to drive in Saudi Arabia,” said Mike Song, head of Hyundai Middle East and Africa.

“The fun, informative sessions have been designed to address some of the most common concerns amongst new and infrequent drivers, such as a fear of involvement in accidents.” 

The motor park will provide education about road safety and highlight some of the technological advances that are making motoring safer. It will include a driving track featuring props that mimic real-life situations on the road, but in a secure environment. During the test-drive, motorists will navigate activities such as ordering food at a drive-through restaurant, refueling at a gas station, and finding a parking space at a mall while avoiding common hazards such as abandoned trolleys. At the end of the session, they will park in front of a ‘drive-in’ cinema and receive individual evaluation of their driving, plus tips.

Five Hyundai models will be available to try out. A professional driving instructor will demonstrate the vehicles’ key features, then accompany each participant on a 20-minute test-drive of the vehicle of her choice. Women who have yet to obtain their driving licenses need not miss out on the experience. They will be invited to ride in the vehicle of their choice while an instructor leads them around the course.

Each participant will be introduced to pertinent road safety topics, such as hazard perception, parking, and basic defensive driving to avoid dangerous situations. They will also be shown the advanced safety features of Hyundai cars, such as Safe Exit Assist (SEA), which prevents the kind of accidents that can occur when car doors are opened as other vehicles approach from behind. 

Hyundai Motor Park 2018 offers fun for all the family, plus five food trucks. Children will learn about how cars work by building their own model engines; other entertainment will include quizzes, a giant game of Jenga, and a session on Korean handicrafts, a collaboration with Korea Tourism Organization. Female-oriented attractions include a display in partnership with homegrown fashion label Reem Faisal; ladies can also enter Hyundai’s Color Drive competition, which challenges contestants to design vibrantly patterned car bodywork for the KONA compact SUV.

Hyundai Motor Park 2018 will take place in Dammam from October 31stto November 3rd, in Riyadh from November 14thto 17th, and Jeddah from December 17thto 20th.