Here's why:
* Early Implementations: Column ignition switches were likely introduced gradually, starting with experimental or prototype vehicles. There's no clear documentation on the earliest models.
* Patent Records: While patents might exist for early ignition systems, they don't necessarily reflect the first production car to use them.
* Lack of Centralized Records: Car manufacturers in the early 20th century didn't have the same standardized record-keeping practices we see today.
However, we can say that column ignition switches became more common in the 1930s.
* 1932 Packard: Some sources credit the 1932 Packard as one of the first cars to widely adopt the column ignition.
* 1933 Cadillac: Others point to the 1933 Cadillac.
Important Note: It's likely that other manufacturers were experimenting with and adopting column ignition switches around the same time period. The exact "first" car is difficult to pin down definitively.
