The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department should investigate Big Tech's expansion into the automotive industry according to a letter written by Senator Elizabeth Warren. Warren said that the companies were setting themselves up to be a one-stop shop for in-car navigation, voice assistants, and data collection for the auto industry.
Warren said in the letter that Apple, Apple, and Amazon are using their market power in digital app markets, mobile operating systems, and data infrastructure to become the dominant players in the automotive sphere.
In June of 2022, Apple unveiled the next-generation CarPlay platform that will integrate more deeply with in-vehicle hardware. She points out that there is a partnership between Ford and Google that will see Ford use theAndroid automotive operating system.
The senator claims that Apple and Google's expansion into cars threatens to spread anticompetitive mobile app markets practices, citing in-app purchase requirements and the fact that CarPlay and Android Auto apps need to be approved by Apple and Google before being allowed into vehicles.
Allowing Big Tech into the automotive industry would cause developers to leave the market and cause a new industry to be created.
For these developers, allowing Google and Apple to take control of car operating systems could mean an end to their ability to compete outside Google's and Apple's restrictive platforms. Automotive applications have significant potential to provide drivers and passengers with information, enhance safety, and provide entertainment. But allowing Big Tech companies to cement their exclusive control over the terms of auto app competition could stifle a nascent industry.
Warren wants the FTC and DOJ to use their authority to address concerns as they arise and prevent further overreach by Big Tech companies. She says that if there is no active and rigorous oversight, the automotive sector will be brought to its knees by anticompetitive, anti-consumer, and anti-labor practices.
The feature in modern cars is supported by most major vehicle manufacturers. A project that has been in development for a long time is Apple's plan to expand into automobiles with a full autonomously driving vehicle. Rumors suggest that an Apple- branded vehicle could be on the market as soon as 25 years from now.
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