The Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, has reached an agreement with Google (Alphabet Inc.) to end several competition restrictions related to Google Automotive Services and Google Maps Platform. This agreement is expected to significantly improve market conditions, providing more choices for customers and opportunities for competitors.

Google Automotive Services includes essential digital services for vehicles, such as navigation and app stores. Previously, these services could not be sourced separately, limiting vehicle manufacturers' options. With the new commitments, manufacturers will be able to select from various service providers, fostering innovation and collaboration in developing in-vehicle infotainment solutions.

In addition, Google has agreed to remove restrictive contractual provisions that incentivized customers to exclusively use its services. This includes changes to default settings and advertising revenue sharing, as well as ensuring interoperability with third-party services.

Regarding the Google Maps Platform, which is widely used by businesses for B2B mapping services, Google will eliminate restrictions that previously limited the integration of its map services with those of other providers. This change will allow users to combine Google Maps with services from competitors like HERE and Mapbox, enhancing flexibility and choice in application development.

The commitments made by Google are not confined to Germany; they will also apply across the European market due to standardized vehicle registration conditions. This means that the changes will impact in-vehicle infotainment systems in other countries as well.

The Bundeskartellamt's actions were based on new provisions for large digital companies, allowing for more effective regulation of anti-competitive practices. This case against Google is part of a broader initiative that has also seen proceedings against other major tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft.