The earliest rollers were horse-drawn rollers from 1800, probably borrowed farm tools.
Since the efficiency of the drum depends largely on its weight, from the mid-19th century onwards, self-propelled vehicles replaced horse-drawn rollers. The first such vehicle was the steamroller. Single cylinder rollers are usually used to tamp foundations and operate at high engine speed and low gear transmission to facilitate bouncing and vibration between the crankshaft and drum, which is very similar to how vibratory rollers work. Twin or compound compressors became popular around 1910 and were primarily used to roll hot rolled surfaces because the engine ran more smoothly, but both cylinder types were capable of rolling finished surfaces. Rollers usually accomplish the task by drive, as slower engines are used for base compaction, while higher-drive models are often called "chip chasers", which follow hot tar and chip laying machines. Some highway companies in the United States used rollers in the 1950s. In the UK, some cannabis was still in use in the early 1970s.
As the internal combustion engine improved in the 20th century, steam-driven rollers were gradually replaced by kerosene, gasoline, and diesel. The first internal combustion engine driven road rollers were similar to the steam rollers they replaced. They use similar mechanisms to transfer power from the engine to the wheels, often with large, exposed spur gears. Some users didn't like them in the early days because engines of that era were often difficult to start, especially kerosene-powered ones.
Almost all rollers in use today run on diesel power.
