Steering column supporting structure of automotive vehicle

A steering column supporting structure for supporting a steering column of a vehicle extending toward a driver's seat, a steering wheel being secured to the top of the steering column, said steering column supporting structure comprising:

• an instrument panel structure forming part of a front wall of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• a column cover between the instrument panel structure and the steering wheel;
• a meter cover secured to the instrument panel structure for covering meters installed in the instrument panel structure, said meter cover being shaped so as to form an opening through which said steering column passes into the passenger compartment;
• and
• a pair of rigid legs facing the driver's seat and extending downward on both sides of said opening, said rigid legs being transversely separated from each other, disposed at positions corresponding to left and right knees of a driver, and integrally formed in one piece with said meter cover so as to be forced, by the knees of the driver upon a collision of the vehicle, to move said meter cover upwards and away from said driver's seat, thereby expanding said opening.