Steering is the collection of mechanical parts which allow a vessel (ship, boat) or vehicle (truck, car, motorcycle or bicycle) to follow the desired course. Rail transport vehicles (trains and trams or streetcars) are steered by their rail tracks.

In vehicle steering, the person turning the steering wheel directly controls the rate of the turn. Response is immediate. Submarines and ships operate in water, and use control surfaces that work on the fluid. There is a delay between the steering controls and the time it takes for the system to respond.