Android Auto app design limits raise regulatory flags

For a long time Android Auto apps have all looked virtually the same, only seeing any substantial updates and changes thanks to recent updates. But, for those years of restriction, Google is catching a bit of regulatory pressure.

In the EU, as Reuters reports, Google’s restrictions with Android Auto app templates have raised concern that these restrictions may breach EU competition laws. The case in question stems from courts in Italy, where the app JuicePass (an EV charging app) was previously blocked on Android Auto as it didn’t fit into Google’s app templates.

JuicePass, Google said, didn’t work in existing Android Auto templates when it first tried to launch on Android Auto. In 2021, Google was hit with a fine in Italy over the denial of JuicePass largely because Google was, in turn, favoring its own navigation apps, Maps and Waze.

As of this week, EU Court Advocate General Laila Medina said that this “may be in breach of competition rules.” It’s not clear, though, if this takes into consideration that Google has loosened these restrictions over time.

Even prior to the previous fine in 2021, Google had opened the doors to new types of Android Auto apps, including navigation apps. This would technically allow JuicePass to launch on the platform, but it still has not. Google also originally cited security concerns as a reason the app had not launched.

Google, in a statement, said:

We note the opinion of the Advocate General and await the final decision of the Court. Since this case started, we have worked to add the template Enel asked for, and many similar apps are already available globally on Android Auto

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