What kind of vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci sketch that could move under its own power using springs?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched a self-propelled cart powered by coiled springs. The vehicle, drawn around 1478 to 1480, is often described as an early ancestor of the automobile because it was designed to move without being pulled by an animal.

The cart used two large driving wheels and a smaller steering wheel. Inside the mechanism, springs stored energy as they were wound, while a system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels. The design also included a programmable steering feature based on removable blocks.

Leonardo may have intended the device for theatrical performances or court spectacles rather than transportation. It was compact and mechanically impressive, but its springs could not provide the range or power of a modern engine.

The machine is sometimes called Leonardo’s automobile, although it was not powered by combustion. A reconstruction built in the early 2000s demonstrated that the mechanism could move when properly assembled, supporting the interpretation of the original drawing.