Steam cars are vehicles powered by steam engines, which use boiling water to create steam that drives pistons. These cars were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before the rise of gasoline engines. They typically require a boiler to heat water, which can take time to build up pressure. The first steam car was built in the late 1700s by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, a French engineer. Although steam cars offered advantages like smooth acceleration and the ability to run on various fuels, they eventually fell out of favor due to the convenience and efficiency of internal combustion engines.