Who invented the car?

Question

Who invented the car?

Answer 1

The earliest known steam-powered car was finished as early as 1769 by French inventor Nicolas Cugnot. But when it comes to vehicles powered by the internal combustion engine, then Karl Benz is given credit for actually building one. Benz championed the new internal-combustion engines, and he worked single-minded to create a car driven by one. He built a little three-wheeled car in 1885 and sold his first one two years later. He went into production with a four-wheeled model in 1890, and the Mercedes-Benz company is still with us.

But Benz wasn't first. The French inventor de Rochas built an auto, and an engine to drive it, in 1862.

The first mass produced automobile was made by Henry Ford.

Answer 2

She may be correct about DeRotas (sic) but Karl Benz has been credited with the "invention" of the automobile for a long time.  So long, in fact, that, like Marconi*, even if it's incorrect, the "right" answer is Karl Benz.

*  Marconi is credited with "inventing" radio, but had to pay all of his royalties to Nikolai Tesla, who really invented it, but Marconi still gets the credit.

So go figure.