I haven’t looked at Alphabet specifically, but generally similar corps are holding companies. They are the sole shareholder in their subsidiaries, which are legally distinct corporations in their own right. Basically, as long as proper formalities are observed and the subsidiaries aren’t alter egos of the holding company, shareholders enjoy protection from corporate liabilities.
That model probably wouldn’t work for an org like EV—making all the orgs sufficiently independent to not be alter egos of EV would largely defeat the whole point of centralization in the first place.
I haven’t looked at Alphabet specifically, but generally similar corps are holding companies. They are the sole shareholder in their subsidiaries, which are legally distinct corporations in their own right. Basically, as long as proper formalities are observed and the subsidiaries aren’t alter egos of the holding company, shareholders enjoy protection from corporate liabilities.
That model probably wouldn’t work for an org like EV—making all the orgs sufficiently independent to not be alter egos of EV would largely defeat the whole point of centralization in the first place.