DIY cars move a step closer

Called fab@home, it's capable of producing anything from scale models to small working components in materials as diverse as plastic and plaster. Designed by Hod Lipson of Cornell University in the US, the unit is the size of a microwave oven and costs £1,200 - rather than the usual £800,000 for conventional manufacturing machinery!

One project that could benefit from the new machine is OScar, a car building scheme created by former BMW designer Markus Merz. It borrows the idea of 'Open Source' software from the computing world and allows engineers to copy, modify and redistribute information with­out any legal consequences.

Merz explained: "I want to bring engineers together to swap ideas on how to improve car design, but without the secrecy." With such freedom, anyone with the fabricator can amend the designs for their own needs and produce parts. Best of all, you won't need the multi-million pound budget of a majorcar maker to complete your project.