Automaker Ford has arrived in the 21st century.

Following their near-collapse during the 2008 automobile industry implosion that rocked the globe, Ford is back and banking on a wide assortment of high-tech attributes for new automobiles. It’s a scenario that has many mobile marketers wondering if and how they can get in on the forefront of the US auto industry making greater strides at going mobile in more ways than one.

Driving the interest in the announcement by Ford is that the venerable automaker will introduce high-def radios equipped with iTunes tagging in various Ford models next year. This announcement follows another recent revelation by Ford that the Detroit automaker will now extend WiFi access to new Ford buyers.

“Through the Sync system,” Ford said in its press release, “iTunes Tagging will provide Ford customers with the ability to capture a song they hear on the HD Radio receiver for later purchase. With a simple push of the ‘TAG’ button on the radio display, the song information will be stored in the radio’s memory.”

This factory-installed feature can reportedly store up to 100 tags until an iPod is connected to receive the download of metadata. When the iPod is then synced to iTunes, a playlist of ‘tagged’ songs will appear. Customers then can preview and, if desired, purchase and download tagged songs from the iTunes Store.

Ford has not yet indicated which vehicle models will offer the iTunes tagging and Internet radio features. But we can expect them in early 2010.