The Egyptians didn't either, at least they didn't seem to be fond of using them on vehicles. They used them for measurement devices and other things, but they apparently weren't as impressed as other cultures.
We assume that everyone would immediately want all the high-tech crap that Europeans and Americans use to save time or work. But it is really a matter of what a culture places importance on. Europeans were pretty baffled when Inuit, South American tribes, and some African peoples didn't seem impressed in the 1920's and 1930's when they showed them things like sewing machines and steam engines. They weren't stupid, they just didn't see the logic in building factories, increasing your population, working all day long just to buy a machine that saves you an hour's worth of labor.
Here in the USA, a guy can make money selling rubber chickens, inflatable sheep and drugs made out of common ditch weeds. Somehow, this is important to us. I think the true test of a culture's ability to reason would be their response to being asked why this is important, and what is wrong with this picture.
