What Leonardo da Vinci invention is often described as an early self-propelled car?

Leonardo da Vinci’s self-propelled cart is often described as an early self-propelled vehicle.

Leonardo designed the cart in the late 15th century, probably around 1478 to 1480. Unlike a normal wagon pulled by an animal, it was powered by coiled springs. The springs drove the wheels through a system of gears, allowing the cart to move without a visible external power source.

The machine was probably intended for theatrical performances or court events rather than transportation. A steering mechanism allowed the route to be set in advance, so the cart could travel along a predetermined path. This makes it closer to a programmable mechanical device than to a modern automobile.

In 2006, researchers at the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia in Milan built a working reconstruction based on Leonardo’s drawings. The cart is frequently called the first robot or first automobile, but those labels are modern comparisons rather than names Leonardo used himself.