NEW DELHI
The government has banned several dangerous mobile applications, including China’s BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch i-ion, after shocking social media videos showed pranksters remotely shutting down moving e-rickshaws using smartphones.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology ordered Google and Apple to pull the apps over serious cybersecurity and safety threats. Originally designed to monitor Bluetooth-enabled lithium-ion batteries by tracking health, temperature, and voltage, the apps also include a feature to completely turn off battery power for maintenance.
The crisis hits because many Indian e-rickshaws use these Chinese battery systems without any password protection, leaving them on factory-default settings. Consequently, anyone standing within a 20-meter Bluetooth range can easily hijack the connection and flip the kill switch. Once disabled, the vehicle loses all power, and drivers cannot restart it using the physical ignition key.
One helpless driver shared how his vehicle abruptly died while carrying passengers, forcing him to pay a mechanic 300 rupees just to reconnect the app and unlock the battery. Stranded drivers are left highly vulnerable as they lack the technological expertise to protect their vehicles.
Fortunately, this digital threat only targets unencrypted, Bluetooth-linked lithium-ion batteries. Traditional lead-acid batteries and newer electric cars remain completely safe, as they use advanced, multi-layered encryption that blocks unauthorized wireless access. Authorities are now urging vehicle owners to secure their battery passwords immediately to prevent further roadside chaos.