What self-moving vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design in 1478?

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

The cart appears in Leonardo’s notebooks as a compact vehicle powered by wound springs. The springs, concealed inside drums, released energy through mechanisms that turned the wheels. Steering could be set in advance, allowing the cart to follow a predetermined path rather than being driven by a person sitting inside it.

The machine may have been intended for theatrical performances or court celebrations, where a moving object could surprise spectators. It was not an automobile in the modern sense: it had no engine, fuel tank, pedals, or steering wheel. Its movement depended on stored mechanical energy and careful preparation.

The surviving drawings were incomplete enough that later reconstructions involved interpretation. In 2006, researchers and museum staff built working models based on the plans. The cart is sometimes called Leonardo’s robot, but that label is also used for a separate mechanical knight designed around 1495.