Method for producing a translucent cladding section for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a light-transmissive base body made of a translucent or transparent material, penetrable by radiation with low absorption for spectral ranges of visible light, and comprising - at least one cover layer arranged on the rear side, opposite the visible side in accordance with the intended use, of the base body, wherein the cover layer has a normal layer thickness, wherein the cover layer has, on account of its normal layer thickness and the layer material, a high absorption for spectral ranges of visible light as compared to the material of the base body and is therefore largely light-impermeable, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - providing the base body, - arranging the cover layer on the rear side of the base body, characterised in that the method further additionally comprises the following steps: - removing and reducing the layer thickness in locally defined regions of the cover layer with the exception of a remaining layer thickness, wherein the cover layer is made penetrable by radiation with low absorption due to the layer thickness reduction in said regions for spectral ranges of visible light so that the cladding section becomes partially translucent, wherein removing and thinning are carried out by means of energy-rich radiation and, during removing and thinning by means of the energy-rich radiation, from the side, opposite the source of the energy-rich radiation, of the cover layer, the proportion of the radiation (LB') already penetrating the cover layer is measured, and when a limit value proportion of the penetrating radiation (LB') is reached, which correlates with the expected remaining layer thickness, the removing and reducing the cover layer is terminated. - a light-transmissive base body made of a translucent or transparent material, penetrable by radiation with low absorption for spectral ranges of visible light, and comprising - at least one cover layer arranged on the rear side, opposite the visible side in accordance with the intended use, of the base body, wherein the cover layer has a normal layer thickness, wherein the cover layer has, on account of its normal layer thickness and the layer material, a high absorption for spectral ranges of visible light as compared to the material of the base body and is therefore largely light-impermeable, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - providing the base body, - arranging the cover layer on the rear side of the base body, - providing the base body, - arranging the cover layer on the rear side of the base body, characterised in that the method further additionally comprises the following steps: - removing and reducing the layer thickness in locally defined regions of the cover layer with the exception of a remaining layer thickness, wherein the cover layer is made penetrable by radiation with low absorption due to the layer thickness reduction in said regions for spectral ranges of visible light so that the cladding section becomes partially translucent, - removing and reducing the layer thickness in locally defined regions of the cover layer with the exception of a remaining layer thickness, wherein the cover layer is made penetrable by radiation with low absorption due to the layer thickness reduction in said regions for spectral ranges of visible light so that the cladding section becomes partially translucent, wherein removing and thinning are carried out by means of energy-rich radiation and, during removing and thinning by means of the energy-rich radiation, from the side, opposite the source of the energy-rich radiation, of the cover layer, the proportion of the radiation (LB') already penetrating the cover layer is measured, and when a limit value proportion of the penetrating radiation (LB') is reached, which correlates with the expected remaining layer thickness, the removing and reducing the cover layer is terminated.