By Stephen Nellis

(Reuters) – Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:) Tuesday announced that it is partnering with a variety of self-driving sensors companies including the lidar company Luminar Technologies to create a system automakers will be able to use as driver safety features in 2024.

Nvidia manufactures the chips as well as the software for self-driving cars. However, the Silicon Valley-based company left most of the decision making for the different sensors used to aid a vehicle’s perception and environment to other automakers.

Nvida made a change of course and picked a number sensor partners, including one from Hella. Valeo (PA:), Continental AG. (OTC) Sony (NYSE: Group Corp. Automakers can still choose from other sensors but Nvidia will make sure that the chips and software of its partners are compatible with theirs.

Austin Russell (chief executive at Luminar), said that “it doesn’t make a lot of sense” for OEMs trying to create their own software stack. Nvidia is a company OEMs will be able to rely on to provide the best stack, without spending tens or hundreds of billions to achieve it.

This approach allows Nvidia to be closer to its chip competitors Intel Corp (NASDAQ) and Qualcomm (NASDAQ) Inc. Intel’s Mobileye unit (F:) sells a set of software, sensors, and chips to automakers. With its purchase of $4.5 billion, Qualcomm will offer a comparable full-service offering. Veoneer (NYSE:) Inc.