Waymo will purchase as many as 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles later this year to launch the first self-driving transportation service in Phoenix first, followed by an expansion to the San Francisco Bay area.

The latest order expands on a strategic parternship between the companies that began in May 2016.

FCA has delivered 600 Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo. With the new influx later this year, Waymo will be blazing a new trail as it offers the public an opportunity to request a driverless vehicle using Waymo's app.

At the same time, FCA gains the chance to bring advanced self-driving technology to customers without the burden of major development costs.

The initial collaboration between the two companies brought engineers from FCA and Waymo together to integrate Waymo's fully self-driving system into the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan.

Since that time, engineers from both teams have continued to brainstorm even more advanced solutions. Ultimately, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan has evolved and now features next generation self-driving technology.

One of the most sophisticated minivans on the road today, the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan is equipped with Waymo's self-driving system including a powerful hardware suite and software honed by over 6 million miles of on-road testing.

The two companies also announced that they are in initial talks about the use of Waymo self-driving technology, possibly through licensing, in an FCA-manufactured vehicle that would be made available to retail customers.

Related: Waymo Adds 500 More Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids to Program