What Renaissance machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to move without horses or other animals?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that could move without horses or other animals.

The design appears in drawings from around 1478 to 1480 and is powered by coiled springs hidden inside its body. As the springs unwind, gears transmit motion to the wheels. A programmable steering system, using pins on a drum, could make the cart follow a predetermined route.

The cart was probably intended as a theatrical or ceremonial device rather than as a practical road vehicle. It may have been useful for carrying scenery or creating a dramatic surprise at a Renaissance court. The surviving drawings do not provide every construction detail, so modern reconstructions have tested different interpretations. It is sometimes described as the world’s first automobile, but “self-propelled cart” is the more historically cautious name because it was not powered by an engine or designed for ordinary transport.