What type of cart did Leonardo da Vinci design to move without a horse?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that could move without a horse.

The design, usually dated to around 1478–1480, appears in Leonardo's Codex Atlanticus. Springs stored inside drums supplied the energy, while a system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels. Steering could be set in advance, making the cart an early example of a programmable mechanical vehicle.

The cart was probably intended for theatrical displays or court festivities rather than transport. It could travel along a predetermined route, and some reconstructions have shown that the mechanism can function when built with suitable modern interpretations of the drawings.

It was not an automobile in the modern sense: it had no combustion engine, battery, or continuously adjustable steering. The phrase “self-propelled” refers to stored spring power. Its importance lies in the combination of energy storage, gearing, and programmed movement.