A Horseless Carriage is an early term for what we now call an automobile or car. The term originated in the late 19th century when motor vehicles were first developed. These vehicles were essentially designed to perform the same function as traditional carriages but were powered by engines (internal combustion, steam, or electricity) rather than being pulled by horses.
The phrase highlights the transitional period between horse-drawn transportation and mechanized vehicles. Early Horseless Carriages often resembled traditional carriages in design but were equipped with new technology to make them self-propelled.
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The Horseless Carriage Club of America is dedicated to education of the general community of the beginnings of what is today one of the world’s largest industries, the automobile. Our mission is to preserve and maintain motor vehicles and motorcycles of ancient age and historical value and to serve as an accurate and technical source of information concerning ancient automobiles for the benefit of its members, as well as for the general public.