* A steering lever: The driver would manipulate a large lever, sometimes resembling a tiller.
* A rack and pinion gear: The lever's movement was translated into linear motion by a rack and pinion gear mechanism. This gear system changed the rotational motion of the lever into the linear motion needed to turn the wheels.
* Connecting rods: These rods connected the rack to the steering knuckles (the pivoting points of the front wheels). The movement of the rack caused the connecting rods to move, turning the wheels.
This system, while basic, was effective in providing directional control. It's important to note that early cars didn't have the sophisticated suspension and steering geometry we have today; the steering was much more direct and required more physical effort from the driver. Other less common or early methods included systems employing worms and worm gears or even simple levers directly connected to the wheels' axles. The lever-and-rack system ultimately proved to be the most efficient and reliable for mass production.
