What year was the rover invented in?

The concept of a rover, specifically for space exploration, began with the development of the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 1, which was launched in 1970. However, the term "rover" can also refer to various types of robotic vehicles used in different contexts, so the invention date may vary depending on the specific application. In the context of Mars exploration, NASA's Sojourner rover was the first successful Mars rover, landing on the planet in 1997.