What name is given to Leonardo da Vinci’s wheeled self-propelled cart?

Leonardo da Vinci’s wheeled self-propelled cart is known as Leonardo’s self-propelled cart.

Leonardo designed the cart in the late 15th century, probably around 1478 to 1480. Drawings show a three-wheeled vehicle powered by coiled springs. The springs were wound before operation and released energy through the cart’s mechanical system, allowing it to move without a person pushing or pulling it.

The cart is sometimes described as an early robot because it could move autonomously along a programmed route. Steering was controlled by adjustable blocks placed on the front wheels, so the vehicle could be set to follow a particular path. This makes it more than a simple wagon, although it was not an engine-powered automobile in the modern sense.

A reconstruction built in 2006 by experts at the Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence demonstrated that the mechanism could work. Leonardo’s cart is therefore best understood as a spring-powered mechanical device, not a petrol, electric, or steam vehicle.