A component for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, in particular a motor-vehicle dashboard (1), or an internal door panel, or an armrest, or the like, comprises a rigid supporting body (2), made of plastic material, an outer upholstery skin (3), made of plastic material, and a padding body (4) made of foamed plastic material, which is set between the rigid body (2) and the outer upholstery skin (3) and is sufficiently flexible to enable a user to bring about local deformation thereof by exerting a localized pressure on the outer upholstery skin (3). Said rigid body (2) and said outer skin (3) have respective functionalized portions constituted by a polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers, which have respective inner surfaces (2A, 3A) facing said padding body (4), which include one or more paths (P) where said polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers has been rendered electrically conductive by laser irradiation so as to define one or more electrical circuits, and one or more piezoresistive areas (S) where said polymeric material with carbon-based nanofillers has been rendered piezoresistive by laser irradiation so as to define one or more electrical switches, which can be activated by exerting a localized pressure on the outer upholstery skin (3) and are electrically connected to said one or more electrical circuits, the electrical circuits thus defined on the inner surfaces (2A, 3A) of the rigid body (2) and of the outer skin (3) being connected together.