Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot was a French engineer and inventor, born in 1725. He is best known for creating one of the first full-scale working steam-powered vehicles, which he built in 1769. This vehicle was designed to transport passengers and goods, marking a significant step in the development of automotive technology. Cugnot's invention was a three-wheeled steam carriage that could carry up to four passengers. Although it was not commercially successful due to its heavy weight and limited speed, Cugnot's work laid the groundwork for future innovations in automobile engineering and contributed to the evolution of transportation.