US Patent 11665830 Method of making smart functional leather

A method of producing a functional vehicle component includes fixing a leather sheet over a surface of a vehicle component, applying a flexible electronic circuit to an A-surface of the leather sheet, and arranging a pigmented coating over the circuit. The pigmented coating inhibits or prevents the circuit from being visible through the pigmented coating. The method may include attaching an electronic element, such as a light source, a sensor, a wireless transmitter, or a switch, to the circuit. When the circuit includes a light source, the pigmented coating inhibits or prevents the light source from being visible through the pigmented coating, but light emitted by the light source is visible through the pigmented coating.