The birth of the American auto industry has been fogged over by debate almost since it began. There are historians who cite one John Lambert of Ohio as having built a working automobile in 1891 — the era when internal-combustion engines were new and fascinating. Others would contend that Elwood Haynes built the first true car — one not capable of being pulled by a horse if needed — in 1894. But the majority of citations give the title of the first car on American roads to the creation of brothers Frank and Charles Duryea, whose "Buggyaut" hit the streets of Springfield, Mass., on this date (reportedly) in 1893. The one-cylinder car creation's spurred a feud between the brothers that never healed; Charles Duryea was a bicycle builder who came up with the idea, but Frank, a talented mechanic, took credit for actually making a working vehicle after the first drive sputtered along at walking speed. The two would form separate carbuilding firms with modest success, but never fully capitalized on being the first on the road. That original Duryea was later donated to the Smithsonian, where it remains today.

Analysis: The picture was not taken the same day the car rolled out. Notice the rubber inflatable-tired newer car in the background. and the steering wheel. Some cars of that era had a tiller bar for steering, as seen in the video in post two.

The number on the car makes us guess that this may have been later than 1863.

 

Yes, I know youtube did not exist in 1893, and neither did the modern day vehicles in the background
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRVG6xNFWDc
I suspect that this may have been the first car since it has a tiller bar (as was the practice in those days for some later cars) for steering and the one appearing in post #1 has a steering wheel....although the first post says the Smithsonian has the "very" firt car.

 

Also related to the first American car is:
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/b...ml#post9364804

 

The first American Driver: Read post #2
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/g...ml#post9364936

 

Another First: Elwood Haynes
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/g...ml#post9365123