The growing development of conductive functionalised textiles has attracted the interest of the automotive industry, which is seeking innovative solutions for seamless and futuristic interior design aimed at improving both vehicle aesthetics and user experience. In line with this trend, the present work investigates the electrical performances of two conductive flocked yarns, one incorporating silver-coated fibres and the other carbon black-based fibres, for potential application in smart automotive interiors. The stability of their electrical properties was also evaluated under thermal ageing and mechanical stress conditions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) investigations provided information about the composition and structural properties of the yarns. Silver-based yarns demonstrated superior conductivity and thermal stability. In contrast, carbon-black yarns exhibited lower electrical performance and increased sensitivity to ageing due to filler agglomeration. A multitouch capacitive sensor prototype was also developed using the silver-based fabric and successfully integrated into a microcontroller platform. The results demonstrate the suitability of conductive flocked textiles for durable, low-voltage human–machine interfaces requiring robust, flexible, and responsive textile-based control surfaces, such as automotive applications, consumer electronics, and wearable technology.

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), a flexible biodegradable polyester, has gained widespread use in packaging applications due to its ability to degrade under controlled conditions, producing non-toxic substances. While this property makes PBAT particularly attractive for the development of transient electronic devices, this potential application remains unexplored. To address this research gap, we developed PBAT-based composites and modified their electrical properties through CO₂ laser functionalization. Although laser treatment of neat PBAT primarily resulted in material ablation, the incorporation of lignin and silica-based fillers enabled the formation of electrically conductive pathways. Among the various fillers tested, dealkaline lignin (DEALK) and glass fibers (GFs) provided the optimal combination of electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and processability. Characterization techniques (electrical measurements, optical microscopy, SEM, EDX, and TGA) highlighted that by optimizing laser treatment and the filler concentration, it is possible to produce conductive tracks with remarkably low sheet resistance. Hybrid composites containing 10–15 wt% of GF and 20–25 wt% of lignin demonstrated the best electrical performance with values as low as 3.5 Ω/sq, which were further reduced to 1.72 Ω/sq after laser process optimization. These findings establish PBAT composites as promising candidates for sustainable transient electronics.