Google fined $123 million in Italy for abusing Android Auto dominance
Recognition: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
- Google was fined $ 123.1 million for banning an EV charging app from Android Auto.
- The Italian competition authority found that Google favored its own map app for EV charging points.
Google has been fined several times in recent years for antitrust violations in its various business areas. Now, Italy’s antitrust watchdog has fined Google € 102 million (~ $ 123.1 million) for banning a third-party app from Android Auto.
The fine came after the Italian competition authority found that Google had blocked Android Auto’s JuicePass charging station app. JuicePass enables users to find and reserve charging points for electric vehicles. You can also manage charging sessions, among other things.
“By denying the interoperability of Enel X Italia with Android Auto, Google has wrongly restricted the options for end users to use the Enel X Italia app while driving and charging an electric vehicle,” read an excerpt from the Watchdog’s press release (discovered by Reuters), which also stated that JuicePass has been banned from Android Auto for over two years.
The authority found that Google “consequently favored its own Google Maps app” for Android Auto, with which users can also find and reach EV charging points. Italy’s watchdog also stated that Google’s actions, if allowed to continue, could “permanently jeopardize” the JuicePass team’s chances of expanding their user base.
Google “respectfully contradicts” the findings of the Italian authority and would decide on the next steps. Reuters quoted a company spokesman as saying.
