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In his book, *Scotland through her country dances*, George Emmerson argues that the 1772 date of the dance and tune is well before the invention of any ‘horseless carriage’ and concludes that the dance title refers to a sedan chair. While the argument seems sound, it should also be noted that the first steam engines date from around 1700. 
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Walter Ligon has pointed out the following pertinent excerpt for 19 October 1769 from *The Life of Samuel Johnson* by James Boswell:

There was a pretty large circle this evening. Dr. Johnson was in very good humour, lively, and ready to talk upon all subjects. Mr. Fergusson, the self-taught philosopher, told him of a new invented machine which went without horses: a man who sat in it turned a handle, which worked a spring that drove it forward. "Then, Sir, (said Johnson,) what is gained is, the man has his choice whether he will move himself alone, or himself and the machine too."