Government Bans Apps Misused to Remotely Halt E-Rickshaws

The central government has ordered the removal of several battery management system (BMS) apps from digital stores following reports of widespread misuse. Pranksters were using applications like BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion to remotely disable e-rickshaws by exploiting unsecured Bluetooth connections in certain lithium-ion battery packs. These apps, which are typically designed for legitimate diagnostic purposes by service engineers, lack password authentication, allowing any nearby smartphone to act as an unintended 'kill switch' for the vehicle.

The issue surfaced after numerous viral videos on social media platforms showed individuals stopping e-rickshaws in traffic for entertainment. While e-rickshaws running on traditional lead-acid batteries remain unaffected, the rapid adoption of low-cost, connected Chinese-manufactured lithium battery systems created a significant security gap. Manufacturers noted that these systems were not originally built with security protocols because they were intended only for closed-loop professional maintenance, a design assumption that failed to account for potential public abuse in a fragmented, semi-regulated market.

Authorities have directed departments to conduct a verification of all similar applications, with the Union ministry of electronics and IT (Meity) currently evaluating the situation. While some apps have been removed from storefronts, the broader regulatory challenge remains the lack of cybersecurity standards for consumer hardware entering India. Industry experts have warned that this incident highlights a critical failure in the oversight of connected consumer devices. Going forward, the government is expected to formulate stricter guardrails to prevent unauthorized tampering with EV battery systems, balancing the growth of affordable green transport with essential consumer protection and safety requirements.