What wheeled vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci design that could move without a driver pushing it?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a self-propelled cart that could move without a driver pushing it.

The cart was conceived around 1500 and is shown in drawings associated with Leonardo's studies of mechanical motion. Springs wound inside the vehicle supplied the stored energy, while a system of gears transferred that energy to the wheels. Adjustable pins helped determine the route, making the machine an early programmable mechanical device.

Historians often describe it as a theatrical machine rather than a practical road vehicle. It may have been intended for use in court spectacles, where an object could travel across a stage or ceremonial space by itself. No original full-scale cart has survived, so reconstructions are based on Leonardo's drawings and notes.

The design is sometimes called Leonardo's automobile, but that modern label can mislead. It had no engine, fuel system, steering wheel, or modern suspension. Its significance lies in combining stored mechanical power, gearing, and prearranged movement in one compact machine.