These aren't your stock minivans -- FCA and Waymo teams modified the electrical, powertrain, chassis and structural system to better accommodate the extra weight and energy draw of Google's devices. While not glamorous, the Pacifica's ubiquity made it an obvious choice, Krafcik wrote in a Medium blog. "With this great new minivan on the road in our test markets, we'll learn how people of all ages, shapes, and group sizes experience our fully self-driving technology."

Chrylser CEO Sergio Marchionne says such partnerships "are vital to promoting a culture of innovation, safety and technology." He adds that the deal gives Fiat Chrysler an inside track to autonomous driving tech. "Our partnership with Waymo enables FCA to directly address ... a future where fully self-driving vehicles are very much a part of our daily lives." Judging by a the rush to release new autonomous features, that self-driving future may be dawning faster than automakers hoped.