The proposed remedies include offering Google Maps OEM Software Development Kit, Google Play Store, and Cloud Custom Assistant separately from the GAS product bundle. Google also plans to remove contractual provisions on sharing ad revenue on the condition that its own Google Assistant voice AI is exclusively pre-installed in the GAS infotainment platform. The FCO will now examine whether these proposals effectively address the competition concerns.
Key takeaways:
- Google has proposed to unbundle some of its services and remove certain contractual restrictions it applies to vehicle makers in response to competition objections raised in Germany over its Google Automotive Services (GAS).
- The German competition regulator will conduct a market test to determine whether Google's proposed remedies resolve the identified issues.
- The regulator had previously objected to Google's bundling of services like Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant, and its practice of only sharing ad revenue with vehicle makers if they refrained from pre-installing other voice assistants.
- Google's proposed remedies include offering Google Maps OEM Software Development Kit, Google Play Store, and Cloud Custom Assistant separately, removing contractual provisions on sharing ad revenue, and enabling license holders to combine Google Assistant services with other maps and navigation services.