1 Early ideas

The Story of CARS

Chapter 1 Early ideas For hundreds of years, people longed for a vehicle that didn't have to be pushed or pulled. This is hard work! "We need a cart that goes by itself," they thought.

As early as the 1400s, Italian inventor Leonardo da Vinci drew plans for a vehicle that was driven by clockwork. Nobody believed it would work and da Vinci never got around to building it anyway.

Another Italian made a wind- powered tricycle. But on calm days it was no better than a chair. Sorry, the wind must have dropped. People had to wait 400 more years for a vehicle that could really go by itself.