Ford just acquired two companies to help build its new mobility business

Ford

Ford wants to move to a more diverse business model that includes transportation services like deliveries for businesses and ride-hailing.

• Ford announced that it has acquired two startups, Autonomic and TransLoc, that specialize in transportation technology.
• Ford unveiled its vision for a logistics business that could use self-driving vehicles to deliver goods and transport people at CES in January.
• Autonomic and TransLoc could help Ford build the infrastructure for that logistics business.

Ford announced on Thursday it has acquired two companies, Autonomic and TransLoc, that will help Ford work toward a future business model with an increased emphasis on autonomous vehicles that can deliver goods for business and transport people.

Autonomic will help build the infrastructure Ford needs for mobility services that may rely on autonomous vehicles that can communicate with their surroundings. The startup "specializes in scale, architecture and leverage for transportation solutions," according to a press release from Ford.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Transloc is "a provider of demand-response technology for city-owned microtransit solutions," according to the press release. The startup's technology will be key to Ford's new logistics business because it will help the company better route its vehicles around cities.

Ford unveiled its vision for the future of transportation at CES in January. While the company has been perceived as lagging behind competitors like General Motors and Tesla in its pursuit of self-driving technology, it used its CES presentation to describe a logistics business that could use self-driving vehicles to deliver goods and transport people.

Get the latest Ford stock price here.