On Wednesday, the German Federal Cartel Office said that it had concluded its investigation into Google‘s automobile services after the American tech giant agreed to provide remedies to allay its competition-related worries.
The cartel office’s president, Andreas Mundt, was pleased with the result, saying,
“I am thrilled that we have been able to reach an agreement with Google and thus achieve immediate positive effects for the affected economic sectors.”
Significant changes in marketplaces could result from Google’s commitments.
Due to their packaged form, Google’s entertainment and in-car maps were the subject of the investigation since they were thought to be potentially impeding competitors. The regulator was worried that this may make it harder for rivals to independently provide comparable services. Google offered procedures to address the problem in December 2023, following the cartel office’s complaints and a possible ban suggestion. The company’s approach, which aims to increase competition in the car industry, involves permitting competitors’ maps and services to be utilized within its platform.
