What vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design to move without an animal pulling it?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart powered by coiled springs.

The cart appears in drawings made around 1478 to 1480. Its two large driving wheels were connected to spring mechanisms that could be wound before release. A steering device and a programmable control system using shaped blocks were intended to guide the cart along a selected route.

Because it could move without a horse or person continuously pushing it, the design is often described as an early robot or predecessor of the automobile. It was probably intended for theatrical performances or court ceremonies rather than transportation or warfare.

The original cart no longer survives, and its exact operation has been debated. In 2006, researchers and builders produced working reconstructions based on Leonardo’s drawings. Those models showed that the basic spring-powered mechanism could function, although it was limited in distance and control.