What Leonardo da Vinci machine is widely regarded as an early self-propelled vehicle?

Leonardo da Vinci’s self-propelled cart is widely regarded as an early self-propelled vehicle.

Leonardo designed the cart around 1478–1480. Unlike an ordinary wagon pulled by an animal, it was powered by coiled springs hidden inside its body. The springs drove the wheels through a system of gears, allowing the vehicle to move without a visible driver or external power source.

The cart was probably intended for theatrical or ceremonial use rather than transport. A steering system could be set before the cart began moving, so it could follow a predetermined route. Its design also included a mechanism that allowed the distance of travel to be adjusted.

It is sometimes called the world’s first automobile, but that label needs care. Leonardo’s cart did not have an engine, and surviving drawings do not prove that he built it himself. A modern reconstruction in Florence demonstrated that the mechanism could work, making the cart an important early example of mechanical automation.