What self-propelled vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design in Renaissance Italy?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart in Renaissance Italy. The cart appears in drawings from around 1478–1480 and is often described as an early ancestor of the automobile.

Its motion came from coiled springs mounted inside the vehicle. When wound, the springs released energy through a gear system connected to the wheels. The mechanism could make the cart travel without a person pushing or pulling it.

The cart was probably intended for theatrical performances or court ceremonies rather than ordinary transportation. Its design included steering control and a system that helped determine how far it would move.

A common mistake is calling it the first automobile in the modern sense. It had no engine and was never documented as a road vehicle, but it was an important early design for powered land transport.