What was the steering wheel position on the Ford Model T?

The Ford Model T used left-hand drive, with its steering wheel on the left side of the passenger compartment. That layout was an important departure from the right-side steering common in many earlier American automobiles.

The Model T debuted in 1908, when the United States generally drove on the right. Ford argued that placing the driver on the left improved visibility when passing an oncoming vehicle. It also let passengers leave from the right side, nearer the curb rather than stepping into traffic.

Left-hand drive does not mean that the car traveled on the left side of the road. It describes the driver’s position and steering-wheel placement. The Model T’s left-side steering matched right-hand road traffic in its principal American market.

Ford’s decision became highly influential. As Model T production expanded and the car became widespread, left-hand steering gained acceptance across the American industry. Exported cars could be adapted for markets with different traffic conventions, but the standard Model T associated with the United States had the wheel on the left.