Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that used stored spring power to move without horses.
The drawing, usually dated to the late 15th century, shows a three-wheeled vehicle with a mechanism hidden beneath its body. Two symmetrical springs supplied energy, while a system of gears and mechanisms controlled the cart’s movement. The front wheel was connected to steering arrangements, making the design more than a simple powered platform.
The cart is often described as an early ancestor of the automobile, but it did not use an engine in the modern sense. Its power came from wound springs, and its practical travel distance would have been limited by the amount of stored energy. Leonardo’s original cart has not survived, so modern reconstructions rely on interpreting his drawings.
The machine may have been intended for theatrical effects or ceremonial use rather than road transport. In 2006, Italy’s Museo Galileo displayed a reconstruction based on the design, helping demonstrate its mechanical principles.