What self-propelled cart did Leonardo da Vinci design as an early precursor to the automobile?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart often described as an early precursor to the automobile.

The cart, probably designed around 1478 to 1480, used coiled springs to store energy. The springs powered the wheels through mechanisms similar to clockwork, while a steering system could set the cart on a predetermined path. Unlike a modern car, it had no engine or passenger cabin.

The original design was not known to have survived as a built machine. In 2006, engineers at the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia in Milan constructed a working replica based on Leonardo’s drawings. The cart is also sometimes called Leonardo’s automobile, but that label can mislead readers because its power came from wound springs rather than fuel or electricity.