Ford invests $182.2 million in cloud-based software company

Ford is quickly becoming a mobility company driven by big data, not just cars and trucks.

Ford Motor Company announced Thursday morning that it has invested $182.2 million in a cloud-based software company called Pivotal. The move further solidifies Ford's plans to be not just an automaker but also a mobility company that banks on big data.

“Our investment in Pivotal will help strengthen our ability to deliver these customer experiences at the speed of Silicon Valley," said Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO, "including continually expanding FordPass – our digital, physical and personal mobility experience platform.”

With the investment in Pivotal, Ford will expand its product's connectivity and remote access. Specifically, Ford wants to help owners with things like locating parking spots and car sharing opportunities. 

With Pivotal even more closely connected with Ford, the companies' engineers can accelerate the development and application of features and customer experiences.

Ford will also be able to utilize Pivotal's cloud computing to get the newfound mobility arm of its business model off the ground and into, well, the cloud.