Aspects of the disclosure include equipment and process schemes for using a plastic decorative light guide of a vehicle as a high-speed optical interconnect. An exemplary method can include forming a decorative light guide from a transparent material. The decorative light guide includes a first insert and a second insert. A light characteristic for optical communication through the decorative light guide is selected based on a current color of the decorative light guide. Light having the light characteristic is injected by a light emitter into the first insert and the light is received by a light receiver from the second insert.