Abstract This paper sets out to demonstrate the present status of elastomer usage in passenger and commercial vehicles and at the same time to enumerate the requirements of the various components. As clearly shown, elastomers play a major role in car design, so important in fact, that considerable research and development has been devoted to the improvement of individual elastomer components. This is illustrated by the considerable fundamental work in material science, the associated establishment of test specifications, and the comparison of material requirements as known from practical experience and the performance patterns of the various elastomers. With reference to the application of individual elastomers for specific purposes, it has been indicated how the development of certain materials has slowed down, while further progress is still feasible with others. To do so, will require considerable effort on the part of the automotive and rubber industries.