Diesel's Engine: The Man and the Evolution of the World's Most Efficient Internal Combustion Motor

Yes. Some early vehicles used a flame outside of the combustion chamber to ignite the air/fuel mix in the combustion chamber. Another example is a Stirling engine, aka a hot-bulb engine. Several more examples out there. Like engines? Read https://www.amazon.com/Diesels-Engine-Evolution-Efficient-Combustion/dp/1642340545 Lengthy, but quite a good read.