The first ignition switch integrated directly into a steering column wasn't a single, definitive event with one inventor or date. The development was gradual, evolving from separate switches and key-operated systems. However, the widespread adoption and association of the ignition switch *in* the steering column began to significantly increase in the
1950s and 1960s, particularly in automobiles.
Prior to this, ignition systems were more disparate. There's no single person credited with inventing the steering column-mounted ignition switch as we know it. The design was a natural progression of combining existing safety and convenience features.
