The government has ordered the removal of three mobile apps allegedly being used to stop e-rickshaws or battery-powered vehicles suddenly on roads, sources told HT.
Sources also said that three of these apps – BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion, have been ordered to remove any other apps being misused and any others will be blocked.
The removal order comes amid concerns about these apps, after videos showed people using them to approach e-rickshaws and turn them off mid-ride.
Lossigy, one of the three apps requested for removal, can be used to locate a nearby e-vehicle and disable it with a single click. HT downloaded the app with the consent of one of the drivers and used it to park an e-rickshaw.
According to drivers, e-rickshaws have been prone to this problem for a long time, but it has risen recently after videos of people filming themselves temporarily stopping the e-rickshaw went viral.
How do the apps work?
The logic behind these apps is similar to how Bluetooth devices work, without requiring connection via any password or authentication. In some of these systems, anyone within Bluetooth range can download the app, connect to a nearby vehicle, and cut off its power with a single click.
According to the description of the BAT-BMS app on Google Play Store, these are the features it can provide:
- Connects to compatible Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries.
- Displays real-time battery status, including level of charge (SOC), voltage, current, temperature, number of cycles, and cell health.
- Monitors battery charge and discharge history.
- Compatible with Bluetooth 5.0 (BLE) enabled smartphones.
- Wireless range up to 15 meters.
- Supports monitoring multiple batteries; Only one phone can control the battery at a time.
In simple terms, apps like BAT-BMS and Lossigy are created for the purpose of maintaining the health of an electric vehicle battery, but the downside is the lithium-ion battery management system that does not require passwords to connect.
The flaw essentially turns smartphones into a “kill switch” of sorts and puts e-rickshaws, their drivers and passengers at risk.
What government officials said
Before sources told HT that an order had been issued to remove three of these apps, a person familiar with the matter said the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) was looking into the matter.
A senior Delhi government official also said that many e-rickshaws use Chinese-made battery systems with minimal security, and the apps are being used “maliciously”.
Read also: High peak power demand: Unregulated charging of e-rickshaws pushes the grid to the brink
Experts say this incident is a stark reminder of how budget equipment can become a bigger technological threat.
