What was Leonardo da Vinci’s clockwork vehicle, designed to move without a person pushing it, called?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart, a spring-powered vehicle that could move without a person pushing it.

The cart was probably designed in the late 15th century. Coiled springs inside its body stored energy, while gears transferred that energy to the wheels. Steering could be set in advance using components connected to the front axle, allowing the vehicle to follow a predetermined path.

The cart may have been intended for theatrical performances or court festivities rather than transport. Its mechanism demonstrates Leonardo’s skill in combining springs, gears and programmable movement. It is sometimes called Leonardo’s automobile, but it was not an automobile in the modern sense because it carried no engine or driver.

A full-scale reconstruction in 2006 showed that the basic mechanism could operate. The reconstruction also helped researchers understand how Leonardo’s drawings, which leave some mechanical details unclear, might have worked.