To prevent a suction opening body from hitting against an obstacle caused by the forward moving force of driving wheels even if the obstacle such as a wall is in the direction of advancing of the suction opening.

This vacuum cleaner has a suction opening body 8 having a suction opening 16 opened in the bottom face, driving wheels 19 mounted to the suction opening body 8 and protruding downward from the bottom face of the suction opening body 8 and a driving motor 22 forwards and backward rotating the driving wheels 19. In addition, this vacuum cleaner has a movement direction detection means 32 for detecting advance/withdrawal of the suction opening body 8, a non-contact detecting means (obstacle sensors 41 to 43) provided in the suction opening body and contactlessly detecting an obstacle in the direction of advance, a control means (control circuit 44) rotationally controlling the driving motor 22 so as to forwards or backwards rotate the driving wheels 19 when an advancing or withdrawal operation of the suction opening body 8 is detected by the movement direction detection means 32 and stopping the driving motor 22 when the non-contact detection means (obstacle sensors 41 to 43) detects the obstacle.