What self-moving machine did Leonardo da Vinci design around 1478?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart around 1478.

The cart used coiled springs to store energy, much like a modern wind-up toy. When released, the springs drove the wheels through a system of gears. Steering could be set in advance, allowing the machine to follow a programmed path rather than being pushed by a person or pulled by an animal.

The design is sometimes called Leonardo’s automobile because it could move under its own stored power. However, it was not an automobile in the modern sense: it carried no engine, had no driver’s controls, and was probably intended for theatrical performances or court ceremonies.

A full-scale reconstruction was built in the late twentieth century after researchers examined Leonardo’s drawings. The cart illustrates his interest in clocks, stage machinery, and programmable mechanical motion as well as transport.