German antitrust agency: Google car service is suspected of anti-competition and will prohibit related behavior

CTOnews.com, June 21 (Reuters)-the office of the Federal Cartel Office of the German antitrust agency said today that some of Google's practices related to Google car Services (GAS) are anti-competitive and the agency intends to ban them.

"We are particularly critical of Google's practice of providing in-car infotainment systems only in bundled form, as it reduces the opportunities for competitors to sell competitive services separately," said Andreas Andreas Mundt, president of the German federal cartel office.

Andreas also said that based on the current assessment, the office intends to ban Google's practices that threaten competition, adding that Google now has an opportunity to respond to these allegations.

CTOnews.com previously reported that Google last month launched the latest version of its in-car operating system, Android Automotive OS 14, and announced the release of more Google's own services to the system, including YouTube and Google's H5 gaming platform GameSnacks. According to the latest report released by market research firm Straits Research, 98% of new American cars are compatible with Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto.