Leonardo da Vinci’s self-propelled cart is often called an early automobile.
Leonardo drew the cart around 1478–1480. Unlike a normal wagon pulled by animals, it was designed to move using stored energy from coiled springs. A system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels, while a steering mechanism helped control its direction.
The vehicle was probably intended for theatrical or ceremonial use rather than ordinary transport. It could travel only a limited distance, because its springs held a finite amount of energy. The mechanism has nevertheless attracted attention because it represents an early attempt to create a vehicle that moved without an animal pulling it.
“Automobile” is a modern descriptive label. Leonardo’s cart did not use an internal-combustion engine, fuel tank, or pneumatic tires. Its power source was mechanical spring energy, making it closer to a clockwork vehicle than to a modern car.