Here's why:
* Benz's Patent Motorwagen (1886): In 1886, Benz patented his "Motorwagen," a three-wheeled vehicle with a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine. This was the first vehicle to meet the modern definition of an automobile.
* Production and Commercialization: Benz was also the first to produce and sell his automobiles, establishing a company that eventually became the renowned Mercedes-Benz.
Other notable early inventors include:
* Gottlieb Daimler: Daimler, working independently, also developed a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine around the same time as Benz. However, his early vehicles were more experimental and less practical than Benz's Motorwagen.
* Siegfried Marcus: While some argue Marcus developed a gasoline-powered vehicle as early as 1864, there is much debate and lack of concrete evidence to support this claim.
It's important to note that the development of the automobile was a collaborative effort involving many inventors and engineers throughout the late 19th century. Benz's work, however, is widely recognized as the crucial breakthrough that led to the modern car we know today.
