What self-propelled vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design that is often called the first robotic car?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that is often described as an early robotic vehicle.

The cart appears in drawings from the late 15th century and was powered by coiled springs hidden inside its body. Gears transferred the spring force to the wheels, while adjustable blocks controlled how far the vehicle traveled and helped set its path. The mechanism could therefore produce programmed movement without a driver sitting inside.

The cart may have been intended for theatrical performances or court celebrations rather than transport. Its exact original purpose is uncertain, and no complete Renaissance example survives. In 2006, the Instituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence built a reconstruction based on Leonardo’s drawings and showed that the mechanism could work.

Calling it a “robotic car” is a modern comparison. It was not an automobile in the modern sense, because it carried no engine, steering system, or passenger compartment. It is better understood as a programmable mechanical automaton.