The term CAR PIONEER refers to two individuals who were instrumental in the development of the automobile industry: Karl BENZ and Ransom E. OLDS. Karl BENZ was a German engineer and inventor who designed and built the world's first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine in 1885. Ransom E. OLDS was an American inventor and businessman who founded the Oldsmobile car company in 1897. Both men are credited with helping to revolutionize the automobile industry and making cars accessible to the general public.