Women’s Auto Show aims to make car-buying and car-ownership accessible to all

Women purchase more than 60 per cent of all cars and influence 85 per cent of all car-purchasing decisions, yet 90 per cent of them wouldn’t step into a dealership without a man.

This is according to Vivian Liu, founder of Vancouver-based startup “Mae” — short for “Making Auto Easy” — an organization that aims to empower women to make them more confident car buyers and car owners.

Liu is also the organizer of the second annual Women’s Auto Show, taking place during the 2024 Vancouver International Auto Show.

She says the women’s event is about more than just car displays and will actually take women through all the different steps of buying and owning a vehicle.

“It’s going to be two whole days of workshops and demos, led by women in the auto industry, and specifically, these workshops are held by women-owned businesses in B.C.,” she said.

“And [the workshops are about] things like how to pick the right car, how to understand your fluids, how to change a tire, how to properly maintain and detail your vehicle at home.”

Liu says Mae was born as a result of her personal experience.

“I’ve been in the auto industry for eight years now, and I’ve always noticed as a woman in the auto industry — as an ethnic woman in the auto industry — throughout my career, a lot of people started asking me which cars I should buy, and that led to me wondering, where are the resources that help women understand their car-purchasing decisions?” she said.

Liu says Formula 3 racecar champion Nicole Havrda from Comox, B.C., will be at the show signing autographs.

The Vancouver International Auto Show runs from March 20 to 24 at the Convention Centre. The Women’s Auto Show will take place March 23 and 24.