Why is my car so hot inside?

Why is my car so hot inside? The sun’s shortwave radiation is absorbed by the surfaces inside the car such as the upholstery, the dashboard and the steering wheel. These surfaces in the car then re-radiate the energy, but in the form of longwave (infrared) radiation. This heats up the air inside the car.

The sun’s shortwave radiation is absorbed by the surfaces inside the car such as the upholstery, the dashboard and the steering wheel. These surfaces in the car then re-radiate the energy, but in the form of longwave (infrared) radiation. This heats up the air inside the car.