What vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design to move itself using springs, gears, and wheel mechanisms?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart using springs, gears, and wheel mechanisms.

The cart appears in drawings from the late fifteenth century and is often described as a precursor to the automobile. Its power came from coiled springs, much like those used in mechanical clocks. Gears transmitted the stored energy to the wheels, while a steering system could be set in advance to guide the cart along a predetermined path.

The machine was probably intended for theatrical or ceremonial use rather than transportation. It could move without being pushed by a visible operator, making it useful for court spectacles. Unlike a modern car, it had no combustion engine, battery, accelerator, or onboard system for changing speed freely.

Modern reconstructions have shown that the basic mechanism can work when built from the surviving drawings. The exact original construction remains uncertain because the available evidence is incomplete. “Self-propelled cart” is more precise than calling it a car, since the latter suggests technologies Leonardo did not have.