Asking the question "who invented the automobile?" is like saying "who invented the computer?"... No one person really did. They are compiled of thousands of patents, and dozens of hard working inventors, and a handful of very dedicated industrialists that think to the future.
Between 1769 and 2013 we went from steam driven one man military grade three wheel tractor, to solar powered family car that can run 250 miles on a charge without sunlight.
But, we're here to try and answer the question, and also give credit where credit is do. So lets start where so often people have made the mistake and move backwards in history together -> 1908 Henry Ford. He improved production methods so that from here on out, automobiles would be among the masses, and very quickly knock out the horse. Quite litterally in some cases ;-)
In 1902 is where Gasoline engines really took off, and finally out paced both steam and electric powered cars. (yes electric powered cars were first used in the mid 1830's in Scottland!) They were first manufactured between 1893 and 1895 by Charles and J. Frank Duryea.
Working backwards we come to where we first really invision the first "modern" look of the car. Everything before this resembles other forms of "autos" such as carriages and tractors. This was 1873-1883 by Amedee Bollee Sr. The particular year we'll mark for this major transformation is 1878 when 3 particular things took place to make the automobile take its modern appearance -> front mounted engine (steam powered), modern looking steering wheel on a vertical shaft, and shaft drive to the differential (this not only changed the look of the auto, but allowed for a better more modern handling of the autos. It allows the tire speeds to be different while turning).
1801 was the first Road Carriage. This steam powered road beast was built by Richard Trevithick in Great Britain.
Here we are in 1769 when Nicolas Joseph Cugnot made the first self-propelled road vehical. It was a 3 wheeled steam powered military grade tractor. Now although he is getting the credit for this, he also gets credit for the first automobile accident 2 years later when he crashed into a brick wall. That said it was a great achievment. But he didn't do it on his own, completely. He used drawings and inventions from both Leonardo DavinVinci and Sir Isaac Newton, along with the following already made working invention:
-->Thomas Newcomen's Atmospheric Steam Engine that was invented in 1712. This was the first practical and useful of the steam engines that were being invented around the world for years at the time. But our credit must not stop there, because Thomas Newcomen was inspired by a specific working invention that he used to make his Engine:
--> The first steam engine: Thomas Savery's Steam Engine in 1698. Although it was a crude machine, it did the basic, but that's because his design was used for its ability to act more like a "vacuum pump". He was working on solving the problems of getting water out of mines... BUT WAIT, yes there is one more credit we must give. For Thomas Savery's design was not based on a hunch. His idea was built off of an already made invention:
--> based on Denis Papin's Digester in 1679. AKA the pressure cooker.
So you'll notice we started with a car manufacturer, and made our way to a kitchen appliance.... That's saying something! You never know where the future will end up. And to say one person invented something is fine and dandy, but you must understand that they most likely had help and research, and many before them and around them for inspiration.
Between 1769 and 2013 we went from steam driven one man military grade three wheel tractor, to solar powered family car that can run 250 miles on a charge without sunlight.
But, we're here to try and answer the question, and also give credit where credit is do. So lets start where so often people have made the mistake and move backwards in history together -> 1908 Henry Ford. He improved production methods so that from here on out, automobiles would be among the masses, and very quickly knock out the horse. Quite litterally in some cases ;-)
In 1902 is where Gasoline engines really took off, and finally out paced both steam and electric powered cars. (yes electric powered cars were first used in the mid 1830's in Scottland!) They were first manufactured between 1893 and 1895 by Charles and J. Frank Duryea.
Working backwards we come to where we first really invision the first "modern" look of the car. Everything before this resembles other forms of "autos" such as carriages and tractors. This was 1873-1883 by Amedee Bollee Sr. The particular year we'll mark for this major transformation is 1878 when 3 particular things took place to make the automobile take its modern appearance -> front mounted engine (steam powered), modern looking steering wheel on a vertical shaft, and shaft drive to the differential (this not only changed the look of the auto, but allowed for a better more modern handling of the autos. It allows the tire speeds to be different while turning).
1801 was the first Road Carriage. This steam powered road beast was built by Richard Trevithick in Great Britain.
Here we are in 1769 when Nicolas Joseph Cugnot made the first self-propelled road vehical. It was a 3 wheeled steam powered military grade tractor. Now although he is getting the credit for this, he also gets credit for the first automobile accident 2 years later when he crashed into a brick wall. That said it was a great achievment. But he didn't do it on his own, completely. He used drawings and inventions from both Leonardo DavinVinci and Sir Isaac Newton, along with the following already made working invention:
-->Thomas Newcomen's Atmospheric Steam Engine that was invented in 1712. This was the first practical and useful of the steam engines that were being invented around the world for years at the time. But our credit must not stop there, because Thomas Newcomen was inspired by a specific working invention that he used to make his Engine:
--> The first steam engine: Thomas Savery's Steam Engine in 1698. Although it was a crude machine, it did the basic, but that's because his design was used for its ability to act more like a "vacuum pump". He was working on solving the problems of getting water out of mines... BUT WAIT, yes there is one more credit we must give. For Thomas Savery's design was not based on a hunch. His idea was built off of an already made invention:
--> based on Denis Papin's Digester in 1679. AKA the pressure cooker.
So you'll notice we started with a car manufacturer, and made our way to a kitchen appliance.... That's saying something! You never know where the future will end up. And to say one person invented something is fine and dandy, but you must understand that they most likely had help and research, and many before them and around them for inspiration.
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