Quote Originally Posted by Martinjmpr View Post
Those who say "look at the automobile - people said that never had a chance and they were wrong" are applying 20/20 hindsight by starting with something that's successful now but was once dismissed as a curiosity.

But in the history of automotive travel there are plenty of examples of the opposite: Things that were hailed as "the next big thing" by proponents but that turned out to be disastrous flops.

Steam Cars? Wankel Engines? Cars that could float or fly? Gas turbine engines?

All currently residing in the "what were they thinking?" section of the internet.
You left out the attempts at electric vehicles in the late 1800's & Early 1900's.