What kind of transport did Leonardo da Vinci design to move without horses, using springs and gears?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart powered by springs and gears rather than horses.

The drawing, made around 1478–1480, shows a three-wheeled vehicle with two large driving wheels and a smaller steering wheel. Coiled springs stored energy, while a gear system transferred that energy to the wheels. The mechanism could be set before the cart began moving, allowing it to travel a limited distance on its own.

The cart was probably conceived for theatrical performances or ceremonial events rather than ordinary transportation. Its compact design and programmed movement could have helped create a dramatic entrance on a Renaissance stage.

It is sometimes called the first automobile, but that description is a modern comparison, not Leonardo’s own term. Unlike a car, it had no engine and depended on stored spring energy. A working reconstruction was made and demonstrated in the twentieth century.