Saudi women take the wheel in Jeddah for training At the female-only campus of Effat University in Jeddah, dozens of Saudi students took part Wednesday in a training to learn the basics of how to operate a car. For most of them, the training, sponsored by Ford Motor, is the first time they’ve ever sat in the driver’s seat. Long known for its ultra-conservative mores, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a wide-ranging programme of social reforms that includes allowing women to drive from June. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES