According to Popular Mechanics, DARPA, the defense research group, wants better vehicles.  They want them faster and cheaper.  In order to accomplish this feat, they are looking to computer circuit builders.

The change in the traditional manufacturing model which occured in the 1980's, saw a separation between manufacturing and design.  Designers began outsourcing their manufacturing to dedicated fabrication plants.  As a result, this undustry has become more responsive to the brisk movement of innovation.  DARPA has been instrumental in bringing that computing revolution about and now has plans to move ahead with vehicle design in a program announced last year called Adaptive Vehicle Make, or AVM.  

AVM is comprised of META, which is for designing and testing the integration of vehicle parts using software alone; iFAB, which is for building the newly designed vehicles created with META; and FANG, a challenge for ground-sourcing a prototype military ground vehicle.  Theodore Bapty, electrical engineering professor at Vanderbilt University, where META is coming together is quoted in the article by Popular Mechanics.

To read this interesting and informative article, click here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/adaptive-vehicle-make-darpas-plan-to-revolutionize-auto-manufacturing-6646618?click=pm_latest