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One example of this happening in the real world is the Turtlebot, where they switched from the Microsoft Kinect (no longer produced) to the Orbbec Astra: https://discourse.ros.org/t/new-depth-sensor-orbbec-astra-call-for-testing/252 . They had to develop a new driver for the new sensor, but once they did, they were able to run all of the existing turtlebot apps like follower, SLAM and navigation without rewriting them.
The general idea here is that ROS reduces the work required to run the same software on many robots.
In the example of the follower app, it can run on any robot with a depth sensor and a mobile base.
If you buy a robot that already has ROS support for its depth sensor and mobile base, the only work you have to do in order to run the follower is to configure the follower app for your robot.
If you buy a mobile base that doesn't have ROS support, and add a depth sensor that has ROS support, you only need to write the ROS node that converts mobile base commands into the specific commands for your base, and configure the follower app.
The point here, and the power of ROS, is that you don't need to rewrite the follower app or the depth sensor driver in either case.
So yes, if you buy a mobile base that doesn't have ROS support, you'll have to add it, but once you do, you'll be able to run existing ROS software like the follower app, SLAM, and navigation.
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