The steering rack, as a component of modern rack-and-pinion steering systems, doesn't have a single inventor, but rather evolved over time with contributions from multiple engineers and manufacturers.

The concept of **rack-and-pinion steering** dates back to the **19th century**. The earliest recorded use of the rack-and-pinion steering mechanism in automobiles was in the **1920s**. Here's a brief overview:

1. **Early Concepts**: The basic idea of a rack-and-pinion mechanism (using a toothed rack and a pinion gear to convert rotational motion into linear motion) had been around for centuries. This technology was used in various mechanical systems, including machines and early carriages, long before cars.

2. **First Automobile Applications**: The first use of a rack-and-pinion system in an automobile is often credited to **Pierre Lanchester**, a British engineer, who applied it to the steering system of his **Lanchester Motor Company** cars in the early 1900s. Lanchester is sometimes cited as one of the inventors of the rack-and-pinion steering system, though this was not the first steering rack per se.

3. **Mass Adoption**: It wasn't until the 1920s and 1930s that rack-and-pinion steering became more common in automobile design, as companies like **Ford** and **General Motors** adopted it for more precise and responsive steering.

4. **Modern Steering Rack**: The fully integrated **steering rack**—combining the rack, pinion, and a more advanced system for power assist and better precision—was developed and refined over time, especially after the introduction of power steering in the 1950s and 1960s.

So, while **Pierre Lanchester** is often noted for his early work in steering systems, the development of the steering rack was the result of contributions from many engineers and automotive manufacturers. It evolved into the widely used component we have today through continuous innovation over several decades.