Metro Detroit automotive giant Ford Motor Co. announced it will increase its investment in 3 Michigan plants by $350Mil. A significant portion of this investment will be devoted to retooling the plants for the all new Ford Ranger and Bronco. The company is also making significant strides in implementing new technology in its vehicles. Ford and other companies are betting that self-driving and connected vehicles are the future of automotive technology, according to the Detroit News. 

The historic Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne will receive an $850M investment to retool the plant for brand new truck and SUV production. Plants in Romeo, and Flat Rock will also receive hundreds of millions in investment. This underscores the commitment Ford and other automakers have made to the Metro Detroit area in the past few years. The local auto industry, long tied to the general economic environment in Detroit, has been booming since their much publicized struggles in 2008-09. Earlier this year Ford announced it was scrapping plans for a Mexico based plant, opting instead to make significant upgrades in its home state.