What was Leonardo da Vinci’s early automobile-like invention called?

Leonardo da Vinci’s early automobile-like invention was the self-propelled cart.

Leonardo designed the cart around 1478–1480. Unlike a normal wagon pulled by animals, it was intended to move through the stored energy of coiled springs. A system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels, while steering could be set in advance.

The cart was probably designed for theatrical or ceremonial use rather than everyday transport. It may have been able to travel a short distance without a driver, making it an early example of a programmable mechanical device. Leonardo’s surviving drawing does not provide every detail needed for an exact reconstruction.

The machine is sometimes called the first car, but that label is anachronistic. It had no internal-combustion engine and was not a practical road vehicle. A modern reconstruction built in 2006 showed that the basic mechanism could work, although its exact original purpose remains uncertain.