The Bundeskartellamt wants to put a stop to Google’s sales practices for the Google Maps map service. The practice of only selling licenses for the maps for use in navigation systems together with the Google Play app store and the Google Assistant voice assistant to car manufacturers blocks other providers, the competition watchdogs said on Wednesday in Bonn. “We are particularly critical if Google only offers bundled services for infotainment systems because this reduces the chances of competitors selling competing services,” said Andreas Mundt, President of the Cartel Office. The cartel office intends to prohibit the Google parent company Alphabet from doing this, the statement said. But first he has the opportunity to comment on it.
The EU Commission is currently working on the implementation of the Digital Markets Act, according to which large online platforms are subject to special supervision throughout Europe. With the bundling, Google violates the provisions of the newly created provisions in competition law, which are aimed at the market power of digital groups, explained Mundt. The US group could thus expand its leading position in digital maps to other markets and hinder the competition. The Cartel Office is also critical of the requirement to display Google services in the car infotainment screens before other apps and the share in advertising revenue agreed with some car manufacturers.
Google has already successfully used such practices with smartphones, for example, in order to oust the competition. The Cartel Office has been on the radar for a year because of Google’s map services. At that time, it was about Alphabet’s requirements not to combine Google Maps in applications for trucks and delivery services with services from competing providers. The Bonn authority complained that this made it difficult for them to develop powerful alternatives to Google Maps. Those involved have since commented on the matter. However, the cartel office is still considering banning such restrictions.