Knee Bolsters
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 6 other vehicles, including the 2002 GMC Sierra, 2002 GMC Cab & Chassis Sierra, 2002 GMC C3500 HD, 2002 Chevrolet Silverado, and 2002 Chevrolet Cab & Chassis Silverado. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Knee bolsters are used to absorb energy and control forward movement of driver and passenger by limiting leg movement during a frontal collision.