What transport device did Leonardo da Vinci design to move itself without being pulled by an animal?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that could move without being pulled by an animal.

The cart used springs as its source of mechanical energy. Gears transmitted that energy to the wheels, while a steering mechanism controlled its path. The design is often described as an early ancestor of the automobile because it combined a wheeled chassis with onboard power and steering.

Leonardo drew the machine around 1478, decades before practical engines existed. The cart was probably intended for theatrical or ceremonial use, where it could make a dramatic entrance or carry scenery. It was not designed as a road vehicle for passengers or long-distance transport.

The original drawing did not preserve every construction detail, and modern interpretations have differed. In 2006, a team at the Museo Galileo in Florence built a model that demonstrated the mechanism could work. The cart is sometimes called a robot, but that label reflects its autonomous movement; it was not a humanoid machine.