Women in the driving seat

*WARNING: This video contains 1000 jokes about buttons*In this episode of Women in the driving seat, Vicki and Erin dive into the latest motoring news. Vicki recaps her visit to the Paris Motor Show, highlighting standout concepts like the retro Citroën 2CV EV and Renault’s quirky designs, whilst Erin chats about why motor shows aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Then, Erin shares an emotional journey driving the all-new Range Rover Electric across the Scottish Highlands; proving that EVs can handle a fair few puddles and fancy hotels can be a bit expensive.The duo also tackle a growing debate in modern car design: have touchscreens gone too far? Critiquing research on digital driving distractions, they make an impassioned plea to bring back physical dials, chunky switches, and tactile buttons for the stuff you really need to be able to click without taking your eyes off the road.Women in the Driving Seat is hosted by motoring journalist Erin Baker and racing driver Vicki Butler-Henderson. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, and let us know your opinion on physical buttons in the comments.

Reuniting after a prolonged pause, Vicki Butler-Henderson visits Erin Baker at home for a deeply moving and unfiltered conversation about navigating immense personal tragedy while maintaining a career in the automotive industry. Following the sudden death of her partner James from a terminal brain tumor, alongside the loss of her father and family dog within six months, Erin reflects on how profound grief alters every facet of daily life from the jarring financial reality and single-parent exhaustion to the emotional hurdles of returning to the workplace.Together, they discuss the overwhelming kindness of automotive industry colleagues, what compassionate bereavement policies should actually look like, and the small, meaningful ways friends and co-workers can offer support when time is measured an hour at a time. The pair also explore the solace found in writing, shifting perspectives on life and work and even the state of the UK car market.Please be aware this episode features sensitive material that may be unsuitable for some listeners.

Recorded in March 2026, just a month before the death of Erin’s partner James, this episode opens with a candid snapshot of real life in all its messy reality - from a hibernating dormouse discovered in the shed to hungover morning workouts and missed school calls. Meanwhile, Vicki is gearing up to fly to Barcelona to test the electric Porsche Cayenne while leaning on her local support network to keep family life running.Erin and Vicki dissect whether you actually need a lifelong passion for cars to build a successful career in the industry. Erin shares her journey from national newsrooms to automotive journalism knowing virtually nothing about engine mechanics, arguing why storytelling, editorial integrity, and curiosity matter far more than knowing every Ford Focus specification by heart.The pair also tackle the shifting landscape of modern motoring, discussing why car manufacturers are pressing the government to soften the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate target, how consumer confusion is slowing the EV transition, and why topics like battery chemistry, lithium mining, and sustainability are creating entirely new entry points into the sector.Along the way, Vicki demystifies classic petrolhead jargon like limited slip differentials, oversteer, and torque using surprisingly simple bicycle analogies.Women in the Driving Seat is hosted by motoring journalist Erin Baker and racing driver Vicki Butler-Henderson. Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, and share your thoughts on whether car knowledge really matters in the comments.

Recorded in March, just one month before the sudden death of Erin’s partner James to a brain tumour, in this episode Erin and Vicki discuss how Erin is coping with the early phases of James’s terminal brain-cancer diagnosis, the way the automotive industry responds to the crisis of one of its own, and how an industry that manufactures lumps of metal in factories can turn out to be the greatest source of warmth, humanity, empathy and comfort. Vicki and Erin also cover their hopes for the next phase of Women in the Driving Seat, explaining how their friendship and also their radical differences (Vicki is a racing driver: Erin hates all things motorsport) strengthen their plan to share the driving seat. There’s plenty of chat about cars and careers, mixing the personal and the professional to help us feel less alone. Plus, of course, the inaugural round of everyone’s favourite game: “Guess the Car on My Driveway”.

Join Erin Baker, Autotrader’s Editorial Director, award-winning motoring journalist, widow and mum of two, and Vicki Butler-Henderson, TV presenter, racing driver and also mum of two (@thecargirlvickibutlerhenderson), for a podcast series hosted by two old friends, devoted to putting women in the driving seat.