What was Leonardo da Vinci’s self-moving vehicle designed to do?

Leonardo da Vinci’s self-moving vehicle was designed to move without being pushed.

The machine, usually called Leonardo’s self-propelled cart, was drawn in the Codex Atlanticus around 1478 to 1480. Wound springs supplied the stored energy, while programmed cams controlled the motion of the wheels. The device is therefore often regarded as an early mechanical automobile or programmable machine.

The cart was probably intended for theatrical or ceremonial use rather than transport. Leonardo’s drawings show a compact vehicle with large front wheels and smaller rear wheels. Because the surviving plans are incomplete and include details that require interpretation, reconstructions do not all use exactly the same mechanism.

The cart was not powered by an engine and could not carry passengers like a modern car. Its importance lies in combining stored mechanical energy with timed movement. In 2006, engineers at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Florence built a working reconstruction based on the drawings.