What vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design that could move without a rider pushing or pulling it?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that could move without a rider pushing or pulling it.

The cart was drawn in Leonardo’s notebooks around 1478 to 1480. Springs wound inside drum-like mechanisms supplied the stored energy, while a system of gears and cams controlled the movement. The steering could be set before operation, allowing the cart to follow a predetermined path.

Modern writers often call it the world’s first robot or the first programmable vehicle. Those descriptions refer to its mechanical autonomy, not to electronic computing. The cart had no engine, sensors, or feedback system. Its movement depended on carefully arranged mechanical parts and stored spring energy.

A full-size reconstruction was built for an exhibition in Florence in 2006. Researchers found that the mechanism could work when constructed according to Leonardo’s drawings, although the exact original design and purpose remain subjects of interpretation. It may have been intended for theatrical performances or court spectacles.