Women in Saudi Arabia to take the wheel from 2018, Twitter feels driverless cars will come early

While the historic decision to allow women to drive has left activists and leaders around the globe overjoyed, it sent Twitter into an overdrive.

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced it would permit women to drive from June next year, making the Gulf kingdom the last country in the world to do so.

A woman driving on Riyadh streets (File photo)

Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of the ultra-conservative absolute monarchy ruled according to sharia law, said the change is ‘legitimate’ under the Islamic legal and moral code and ordered government ministries to make legal amendments.

The longstanding driving ban was seen globally as a symbol of repression of women in the ultra-conservative kingdom and comes after a years-long resistance from female activists.

While the historic decision left activists and leaders around the globe overjoyed, it sent Twitter into an overdrive.

As men and women welcomed the decision, Twitter, however, rallied behind with a pinch of scepticism.