Abuse of dominance. Google/Android

The Italian Antitrust Authority (AGCM) has shown renewed attention in combating abuses of dominance, heavily sanctioning Google (€102 million) for hindering access on Android Auto (AA - owned by Google) to an application (JuicePass) developed by Enel and aimed at searching/booking electric charging stations for cars.

The denial of interoperability between JuicePass and AA meant that when the user/driver searched for charging stations on AA in order to locate and reserve one, those of JuicePass did not appear. Google, in this way, favored its own Google Maps app (and its advertising clients, competitors of Enel), which could be used on Android Auto, allowing functional services for charging electric vehicles in competition with JuicePass.

As for the threshold of dominance, we recall that Android, and therefore AA, is used by about 75% of users, a share that certainly makes it difficult to refute Google's dominance in this market. This case, again, shows the necessary caution for the requirements of antitrust law that must guide dominant companies in the definition of their commercial policies.