Ford has announced plans to open a Research and Development lab in Silicon Valley in early 2012, the first such facility the company has ever opened on the west coast.
It's hardly a surprising move, though, since car tech increasingly merges with information and communication technologies.
In recent years, Ford has been investing in technologies such as SYNC, which offers in-car connectivity with smartphones and music players, and MyFord Mobile, a smartphone app which displays battery info for electric vehicles such as Ford Focus Electric.
With the new lab Ford plans to "prepare for the next 100 years" and develop partnerships with tech firms, startups and universities in the area.
The new Ford lab will be located in the San Francisco Bay area, but the exact location hasn't been revealed yet.