A panel for use over a vehicle airbag includes a non-visible tear seam for forming an airbag deployment opening. The tear seam may be formed by laser cutting through a panel substrate and into a panel covering using multiple laser power levels and may be formed at an angle of 85 degrees or less with respect to the substrate. Using multiple laser power levels can increase the accuracy and consistency of the residual wall thickness of the covering, and forming the tear seam at an angle of 85 degrees or less can improve tear seam function during deployment.