The aim is for a SMET robot to be able to carry 1,000 pounds across more than 60 miles in 72 hours. Whether you're interested in trucks, tanks, motorcycles, armored vehicles or ATVs, 2017 was a great year, with lots of incredible machines. And it was a year in which lots of out-of-the-box advances – some might even say shocking – were revealed. Where do we find these insider machines? I also meet with military and private sector innovators to closely evaluate the vehicles and put them through their paces. In the eye-popping category, it will be hard to surpass the military's announcement that they've figured out how to use urine as fuel for vehicles in war zones.

Fox Firepower: Defense Specialist Allison Barrie shares her top picks of high-tech military vehicles on display at AUSA 2017 including a fuel-cell powered Chevy truck and a self-driving Polaris MRZR. Armored vehicles with laser weapons, silent motorcycles that can run on jet fuel, self-driving ATVs and futuristic Chevy trucks - there were a lot of eye-popping vehicles in the nation's capital this week. At the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition, US Army Soldiers and their families get the chance to explore innovation from around the world created for future combat. Many vehicles from giant tanks through to tiny rolling surveillance robots were on display this year. Here are four of the most popular draws throughout the week.

The U.S. Army launched a revolutionary SMET initiative that aims to integrate robots into brigades. While top brass walked the floors of AUSA exploring innovation for future combat in Washington D.C., in Georgia at Fort Benning, robot selection to join the troops is in an intense final week. Many companies had thrown their robots in the ring for selection to serve and the Army narrowed down those invited to the Benning phase that began back on Sept. 11 and is expected to conclude Oct. 14. The final four robots will be chosen and the Army will ask the companies to begin production. The jungle drums at AUSA have it that the selected robots may be integrating and working alongside soldiers in brigade combat teams (BCTs) as soon as early next year.