Motor-vehicle passenger-compartment component, and a method for manufacturing this component

A component for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising:

• a rigid supporting body, made of plastic material;
• an outer upholstery skin, made of plastic material;
• and
• a padding body made of foamed plastic material, which is set between the rigid body and the outer upholstery skin and is sufficiently flexible as to enable a user of cause a local deformation thereof by exerting a localized pressure on the outer upholstery skin,
• wherein said passenger-compartment component is provided with one or more electrical switches that can be activated by exerting a localized pressure on the outer upholstery skin,
• said rigid body and said outer upholstery skin have respective portions comprising a polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers;
• said portions of the rigid body and of the outer upholstery skin have respective inner surfaces facing said padding body,
• said inner surfaces including one or more functionalized piezoresistive areas defining said one or more electrical switches, said functionalized piezoresistive areas formed by laser irradiation of said polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers to cause said one or more functionalized piezoresistive areas to be piezoresistive,
• said inner surfaces including one or more functionalized electrically conductive paths, said paths formed by laser irradiation of said polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers to cause said paths to be electrically conductive locally and to define one or more electrical circuits on said inner surfaces to which said piezoresistive areas are electrically connected, said one or more electrical circuits distinct from non-conductive areas of said inner surfaces,
• the electrical circuits on the inner surfaces of the rigid body and of the outer skin being electrically connected together.