The Italian Competition Authority announced on Thursday that it has imposed a fine exceeding 100 million euros on Google for abusing its dominant position. The authority explained that the fine, amounting to 102.84 million euros, is due to the tech giant's refusal to approve the listing of an app that allows users to locate electric vehicle charging stations on its Google Play store.
The regulatory body noted that "Google, through its Android operating system and Google Play Store, holds a dominant position, as approximately three-quarters of smartphones in Italy operate on Android."
An investigation conducted by the Italian authority revealed that "Google did not allow" the use of the "JUS Pass" app developed by the Italian energy giant Enel on the "Android Auto" system, which enables a vehicle to connect to various services.
The regulatory authority highlighted that "JUS Pass offers a wide range of services tailored for charging electric vehicles, currently only allowing users to search for charging stations."
Additionally, the authority, which opened an investigation in May 2019, stated, "By refusing to grant Enel X Italy the right to make the JUS Pass app available on Android Auto, Google unjustly limited the opportunities available to users of the Enel app."
The authority continued, "The exclusion of the Enel X Italy app from Android Auto has been ongoing for over two years. The continuation of this behavior could undermine Enel X Italy's ability to build a solid user base, especially as we witness significant growth in electric vehicle sales."
In this context, the Italian Competition Authority has mandated Google to provide "Enel X Italy" and other app developers with "the necessary tools to program apps that work on Android Auto."
An independent expert associated with the authority will monitor the implementation of this condition, and "Google is required to fully cooperate with him and provide all requested information."
