Plastic materials are used for a wide variety of transportation applications including glazing, interior wall panels, partitions, headliners, and light diffusers. Thermoplastics offer a number of advantages over metals, wood, and fiberglass including outstanding aesthetics, durability, and sound insulating properties. Plastics are also extremely lightweight, which contributes to improved fuel economy.

Thermoplastics have the additional advantage of having color throughout the volume of the material, which eliminates the need for secondary painting. Unlike metals and wood, plastics are moisture resistant and they will not rot or rust.