The journey toward autonomous vehicles began not in Silicon Valley, but in Spain during the Roosevelt administration. Leonardo Torres Quevedo, a Spanish engineer born in 1852, pioneered remote-control systems that would lay the groundwork for self-driving technology. His 1914 invention, the Telekino, transmitted wireless signals to control vehicles from nearly 100 feet away.

Quevedo's work extended beyond land vehicles. He demonstrated the Telekino's capabilities aboard boats and even torpedoes, showing that machines could be guided by signals without human intervention. Despite proving the concept's viability, the Spanish Crown withheld funding, preventing commercialization of his revolutionary technology. The idea would remain dormant for over a century before reaching fruition.

American innovation picked up the torch in the 1920s. In 1921, the US Army demonstrated a radio-controlled three-wheeled vehicle in Dayton, Ohio, followed by Francis P. Houdina's 1926 Chandler on New York City streets. Dubbed the 'American Wonder,' this driverless car responded to radio commands from a chase vehicle, controlling steering, throttle, brakes, and horn. These early experiments proved too tantalizing to fade, establishing the foundation for today's autonomous vehicle revolution.