Google is laying down roots in the Greater Detroit area to help advance its self-driving car project.

The Web giant on Wednesday announced it is setting up a self-driving technology development center in Novi, Michigan.

"Many of our current partners are based here, so having a local facility will help us collaborate more easily and access Michigan's top talent in vehicle development and engineering," the company said on its self-driving car project Google+ page.

As you can see from the image above, the 53,000-square-foot facility just looks like a blank white canvas at this point, but Google said it plans to begin moving in this year. There, "our engineers, working with local partners, will further develop and refine self-driving technology," Google said.

Their first task will be to ready the self-driving Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans we first heard about last month. The initiative marks the first time Google's Self-Driving Car Project has worked directly with an automaker to integrate its sensors and software into a passenger vehicle.

The souped-up minivans should be ready "later this year" for testing, first on a private test track in California and then on public roads.

Last year, Ford became the first carmaker to test autonomous vehicles at the University of Michigan's simulated urban environment, Mcity. Initially announced in June 2014, the 32-acre playground—developed by U-M's Mobility Transformation Center (MTC)—officially opened in July.

Meanwhile, Google is looking to hire "vehicle safety specialists" in Arizona to help with its self-driving car project. As per the job description, posted earlier this month, those selected will be tasked with driving an autonomous vehicle around the state for six to eight hours per day, five days per week, collecting data for Google's engineering team. Drivers will earn $20 per hour.