Abstract: Based on the requirements of light weight and safty, a lot of research on response characteristics for automobile metal materials under high strain rate was carried out. The research progress of test equipments, test methods, test data processing methods and the constitutive equation to describe the material response characteristics under high strain rates was summarized. The response characteristics, fitting constitutive equations and the microstructure evolution law of high strength steel and advanced high strength steel under high strain rates were concluded. The response characteristics of the typical aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy under high strain rates were introduced and the constitutive equation of describing rheological behavior of aluminum and magnesium alloys which considering the effects of temperature and thermal activation energe was raised. Some suggestions were proposed about test equipment, test methods, development direction of response characteristics of metallic material for automotive under high strain rates.