Waymo’s fleet of self-driving taxis is about to get a lot bigger.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV revealed this morning that the Alphabet Inc. subsidiary has placed an order for “thousands” of hybrid minivans to bolster its upcoming autonomous shuttle service. The vehicles are based on the automaker’s 2018 Chrysler Pacifica series, which retails from $39,995 and has room for up to eight passengers.

Waymo already operates 600 such minivans that have been augmented with autonomous driving hardware. In an October demo, the Alphabet subsidiary’s customized Pacificas were shown to skillfully navigate around obstacles (both foreseen and unforeseen) on a California test track. The interior, meanwhile, features displays that show key information for passengers along with an overhead panel containing manual controls.

Waymo claims to have carried out test rides in 25 U.S. cities so far. The group maintains a particularly strong presence in the Phoenix metro area, where select users can already hail autonomous taxis. Customers receive free insurance for the duration of rides thanks to a partnership with a startup called Trov Inc. that Waymo announced a few weeks ago.

The size of Waymo’s new minivan order would suggest that it’s getting closer to making the robotaxi service generally available, or at the very least plans to expand the trial significantly. Fiat Chrysler divulged that the vehicles will begin shipping in late 2018 and are set to be deployed throughout multiple cities.

The purchase represents a major financial commitment on Waymo’s part. However, it’s likely dwarfed by the $1.4 billion that Uber Technologies Inc. could shell out for the up to 24,000 sport utility vehicles it ordered from Volvo Cars Corp. in November.

The ride-hailing giant is one of several companies that compete with Waymo in the autonomous taxi race. Lyft Inc. is likewise building a self-driving fleet and so is General Motors Co., which recently petitioned the Department of Transportation to approve a new autonomous vehicle model with no steering wheel or pedals.

Image: Waymo