What transport did Leonardo da Vinci sketch that could move without being pushed by people or animals?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched a self-propelled cart that could move without being pushed by people or animals.

The cart used coiled springs as its stored-energy source. When released, the springs drove the wheels through a system of gears, making the machine an early concept for an autonomous vehicle.

Leonardo probably designed it for theatrical performances or court entertainments rather than everyday travel. The cart could follow a predetermined route, and reconstructions show that steering could be set before the machine began moving.

It is often called the world’s first robot or the ancestor of the automobile, but both descriptions need care. The cart had no electronic control and could not choose its own route. It was a mechanically programmed vehicle powered by stored energy.