What Leonardo da Vinci invention used springs and gears to move without being pushed by a person?

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

The design, usually dated to around 1478–1480, is one of his earliest known mechanical projects. Large coiled springs stored energy, while a system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels. Steering could be preset through a mechanism, allowing the cart to follow a planned route rather than being pushed or pulled.

Leonardo may have intended the machine for theatrical performances or court celebrations. It was not a practical automobile, because it carried no engine and could travel only for a limited distance after its springs were wound. The compact mechanism nevertheless shows his interest in combining stored energy, gearing, and controlled motion.

The cart is sometimes described as a robot or an early car. “Self-propelled cart” is more precise: it moved autonomously for a short programmed course, but it had no engine, driver, or modern automobile system.