Senator Asks FTC and DOJ for 'Rigorous Oversight' Into Apple, Google, and Amazon's Expansion Into Automobiles

[MacRumors]

United States Senator Elizabeth Warren this week penned a letter [PDF] to antitrust officials at the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, requesting that they investigate "Big Tech's expansion into the automotive industry." Warren specifically called out Google, Apple, and Amazon, saying that the companies are setting themselves up to be a "one-stop shop for automakers," for data collection, cloud storage, analytics, in-car navigation, voice assistants, and autonomous driving collection.

In the letter that was shared by Vox, Warren says that Google, Apple, and Amazon are leveraging their market power in digital app markets, mobile operating systems, and data infrastructure to become "the dominant players in the automotive sphere," which Warren says has "alarming implications for developers, workers, and consumers."

Warren highlights Apple's June 2022 CarPlay announcements, where the company debuted the next-generation CarPlay platform that will "reinvent the car experience" and integrate more deeply with in-vehicle hardware. She also points out that Google has entered into a partnership with Ford that will see Ford using the Android Automotive Operating System, and Amazon is developing autonomous driving systems.

The senator claims that Apple and Google's expansion into cars threatens to spread "anticompetitive mobile app markets practices" to automobiles, citing in-app purchase requirements and the fact that CarPlay and Android Auto apps must be approved by Apple and Google, respectively, before being allowed into vehicles.

Allowing Big Tech into the automotive industry could "stifle a nascent industry" and price developers out of the market.

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 is asking the FTC and the DOJ to use their authority to address concerns as they emerge and "prevent further overreach by Big Tech companies." She says that without "proactive and rigorous oversight," Google, Apple, and Amazon will "bring their anticompetitive, anti-consumer, and anti-labor practices to the automotive sector."

Apple's CarPlay system has been in vehicles since 2014, and it has become ubiquitous, with most major vehicle manufacturers supporting the feature in modern cars. Apple is also working to expand further into automobiles with a full autonomous vehicle, a project that has been in development for many years now. Current rumors suggest that some kind of Apple-branded vehicle could be introduced as soon as 2025.

Article Link: Senator Asks FTC and DOJ for 'Rigorous Oversight' Into Apple, Google, and Amazon's Expansion Into Automobiles

 

[macsimcon]

Will someone please tell Senator Warren that she should focus on anti-competitive behavior from Amazon and Facebook, and leave Apple alone? I for one WANT Apple creating my dashboard interface.

 

[CarAnalogy]

She says that without "proactive and rigorous oversight," Google, Apple, and Amazon will "bring their anticompetitive, anti-consumer, and anti-labor practices to the automotive sector."

Oh no! Not our perfect automotive sector! There's no corruption or problems there!

 

[Blackstick]

I’m certain our government will mismanage this completely. Just like everything else. Big Tech puts big money into every rep and senator’s campaign account. So they’ll write laws according to FAANG’s preferences.

 

[bluespark]

Some good points here -- as Big Tech ventures into other areas, there is enormous potential for the misuse of consumer data. I suspect Apple is much better at protecting this than its competition, but it makes sense to have regulatory attention here. If anything, this ultimately is likely to be advantageous to Apple, as other companies may be held to a tighter standard than they would be if left to their own approach.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Apple car is not even out yet in the market. Sounds like creating a problem when there are none.

 

[Blackstick]

Apple car is not even out yet in the market. Sounds like creating a problem when there are none.

It’s not about the vehicle, it’s about every Toyota, Honda and Ford having an “Apple or Google dashboard.”

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Will someone please tell Senator Warren that she should focus on anti-competitive behavior from Amazon and Facebook, and leave Apple alone? I for one WANT Apple creating my dashboard interface.

She definitely needs to go after Mark Zuckerberg. He is the top dog when it comes to collecting any type of data.

 

[GMShadow]

"When asked for comment on her qualifications to make such a determination, Warren screamed at reporters that they were sexist, and that being in government meant she was qualified to rule over the peasantry in whatever fashion she deemed fit."


And if you think she is qualified, I will add this.

She also points out that Google has entered into a partnership with Ford that will see Ford using the Android Automotive Operating System

Ford's SYNC system has been built variously on Windows Embedded Automotive and Blackberry's QNX. They're moving it to Android Automotive because QNX is dying. This is not a conspiracy - it's the automakers wisely deciding not to reinvent the wheel when it's not necessary.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

It’s not about the vehicle, it’s about every Toyota, Honda and Ford having an “Apple or Google dashboard.”

What's wrong with that? I love having Apple Car play on my Audi. Makes everything easier. I bet you she uses Apple Car play every day too for navigation purposes. Perhaps, she wants all modern cars in 2023 to come with a CD player.

Who is she going to target next? Siri & Alexa?

 

[ilikewhey]

Apple car is not even out yet in the market. Sounds like creating a problem when there are none.

lol read the article again, topic is apple CarPlay and android auto.

 

[dugbug]

Sounds like its not so much carplay/androidwhatever but the concern that amazon/google/apple will sell the driving behavior data. Prob not a bad line of questions but I don't like the way its worded and doubt the auto manufacturers with their own solutions would not be similarly tainted.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

lol read the article again, topic is apple CarPlay and android auto.

Apple's CarPlay system has been in vehicles since 2014, and it has become ubiquitous, with most major vehicle manufacturers supporting the feature in modern cars. Apple is also working to expand further into automobiles with a full autonomous vehicle, a project that has been in development for many years now. Current rumors suggest that some kind of Apple-branded vehicle could be introduced as soon as 2025.

Article Link: Senator Asks FTC and DOJ for 'Rigorous Oversight' Into Apple, Google, and Amazon's Expansion Into Automobiles

I did and my post was directed toward the comment above. I hope you have a good day today. It's a beautiful day ✌️ 😇

 

[cocky jeremy]

I was wondering what that "native american" was up to.

 

[jimbobb24]

Oh the Boomer politician making veiled threats like a mob boss.

“You guys better donate more money to my campaign and causes or else we might need some special regulations..”

Her arguments are poorly thought out. Tech companies getting into cars could spread the anticompetitive nature of apps. First …what? Second how does that apply to amazon? Third how are cars like app stores?

“We need more bribes…I mean donations…”.

 

[ilikewhey]

I did and my post was directed toward the comment above. I hope you have a good day today. It's a beautiful day ✌️ 😇

no, you mentioned apple car,

"Apple car is not even out yet in the market. Sounds like creating a problem when there are none."

article is talking about the apple car play system and android auto, warren is challenging on data collection and one stop shop for the auto industry as a whole from big tech.

 

[mansplains]

"When asked for comment on her qualifications to make such a determination, Warren screamed at reporters that they were sexist, and that being in government meant she was qualified to rule over the peasantry in whatever fashion she deemed fit."

And if you think she is qualified, I will add this.

Recall her claim to indigenous heritage whilst DNA tests resulted in an ancestry of 1/1024th.

The only identity her testing proved is that she's 100% politician.

 

[mzeb]

Will someone please tell Senator Warren that she should focus on anti-competitive behavior from Amazon and Facebook, and leave Apple alone? I for one WANT Apple creating my dashboard interface.

Porque no los dos?

And just because apple might be getting investigated doesn’t mean they won’t be still building your dash experience, it’s just a matter of how.

I’m contemplating the different between how CarPlay, Android Auto and Android Automotive OS each integrate and how it is done makes a difference.

For instance, a lightweight OS in the car that had public hooks for CarPlay and the like but can provide basic functionality if no phone is hooked up seems good. Public hooks provide choice.

By contrast, if Google or Apple dig in and actually write the OS for cars it can actually stifle innovation as Warren suggests.

The line is somewhere in between these two and it needs to be determined where that is to keep innovation rolling but allow the deepest integration with our cars so we get the best compromise we can.

 

[ilikewhey]

What's wrong with that? I love having Apple Car play on my Audi. Makes everything easier. I bet you she uses Apple Car play every day too for navigation purposes. Perhaps, she wants all modern cars in 2023 to come with a CD player.

View attachment 2106828

Who is she going to target next? Siri & Alexa?

missed the point entirely. again 😂

 

[WWPD]

Can we have Senator Warren personally test each prototype?

 

[DocMultimedia]

It’s not about the vehicle, it’s about every Toyota, Honda and Ford having an “Apple or Google dashboard.”

I would pay 5k if I could have CarPlay in my Tesla. The Tesla interface is truly miserable compared to others.

So while at it, go after Tesla for not allowing other OSes in their car. /s

 

[xnu]

I just want to have nice things. Is it anti-completive to be innovative and provide solutions that people want?

 

[Attirex]

Still trying to figure out what the problem is here, and I can't find one.

 

[Kkspire]

I just agree with her. Thank God we have Apple and Google that can actually make it in car experience with electronics good. We need consistency not 1 million different options and not a single good way.

 

[iAppleOrchard]

I hate when the government ruins Apples plans.