Germany: Federal Cartel Office closed investigation into Google following commitments to end competition restrictions for Google Automotive Services

On 9 April 2025, the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) issued a decision in its investigation into Google over alleged anti-competitive practices linked to Google Automotive Services (GAS). Acting under Section 19a(2) of the German Competition Act (GWB), the FCO found that Google's bundling of services such as Google Maps, Google Play, and Google Assistant limited vehicle manufacturers' choices and undermined competition. The decision also raised concerns about Google's use of economic incentives to encourage exclusive pre-installation of its services, as well as contractual requirements for default settings and prominent placement, which further discouraged the use of rival offerings. In addition, the FCO identified restrictions on interoperability between Google’s services and those of third parties, which created additional barriers to competition. To resolve these issues, Google proposed a set of commitments, which the FCO accepted. These include ensuring interoperability with third-party services, offering individual GAS components separately, ending financial incentives tied to exclusive use, and removing obligations around default settings and placement. A monitoring trustee will oversee Google’s compliance with these terms. The commitments are time-limited, and the FCO retains the option to resume enforcement if necessary after the commitments expire.