Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant, later known as Carl Benz, was born in Mühlburg (now part of Karlsruhe), Baden, Germany. His father, a locomotive driver, died when Carl was only two years old. This early loss shaped his life, and his mother’s dedication ensured he received a good education.

Benz demonstrated an early aptitude for technical subjects. At the age of 15, he enrolled at the Karlsruhe Polytechnic (now the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), where he focused on mechanical engineering. This marked the beginning of his formal training and laid the foundation for his future inventions.