In this article we discuss the boundary element method as it may be used in the automotive industry for acoustical modeling and prediction for noise control design. The boundary element method is used to calculate the sound pressure level at a prescribed distance from a vibrating engine block, the sound intensity on the surface of the engine block and the sound radiation efficiency of the block mode. The boundary element method is also used to determine the performance of a partial enclosure. The boundary element method is used to determine the sound intensity field inside and outside of the enclosure, both for unlined and lined cases. The sound pressure directivity pattern is also determined for each case. For verification of the boundary element method, we compare the results to experimental results for two test cases: radiation of sound from a vibrating structure and the acoustical response of a cavity.