Let there be (more) light

Sunroofs and skylights have gone from leaky aftermarket afterthoughts to profitable features designed into new cars from the start.

While the sunroof was once a well-known, but not particularly popular, option on new cars, recent sunroof and skylight designs have made glazing in the roof one of the hottest selling features for new cars. The general trend toward more lavishly equipped cars, as evidenced by the standardization of power options, near universality of air conditioning, and the huge popularity of leather seats, are partly responsible for the increasing demand for sunroofs. But a significant part of the popularity of sunroofs is the ongoing shift of focus from car's exterior design to the interior design and features.

The sunroof is located on the body exterior, but the light and air it provides are really interior comfort features for the driver and occupants, points out Brett Healy, Vice President of Business Development for Webasto. “Over the last four or five years, interiors have become the big thing,” he said. “Now car companies realize that the area above your head is part of the interior.”