An e-rickshaw driver in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, has alleged that his vehicle was remotely disabled while transporting passengers, forcing him to pay a fee to restart it. This incident has raised serious concerns regarding the potential misuse of a Bluetooth-enabled battery management application known as BAT-BMS, following multiple claims from different regions in the country.

The driver, identified as Shivam, stated that his e-rickshaw unexpectedly halted in the street, despite having no mechanical issues, while carrying passengers. He recounted, “Some youths remotely stopped my e-rickshaw while passengers were travelling. They later demanded Rs 100-150 to restart it. I felt compelled to pay them.” Subsequently, he decided to download the application and secure it with a password to prevent similar future incidents.

Wider Concerns and Viral Claims

Shivam’s allegations occur amid a surge of viral videos suggesting that the BAT-BMS application can remotely disable compatible e-rickshaw batteries via Bluetooth. One widely shared video reportedly depicts an e-rickshaw driver struggling to push his vehicle for nearly three kilometres after the battery had been locked remotely. Claims circulating on social media indicate that some individuals might be exploiting the application for entertainment purposes or to extort money from drivers.

Experts recognise BAT-BMS as a battery management application that can interact with Bluetooth-enabled lithium battery systems. They affirm that vehicles fitted with non-Bluetooth batteries or proprietary systems should remain unaffected. However, inadequate password protection on certain battery systems might leave them susceptible to unauthorised access.

Drivers Call for Police Intervention

Following Shivam’s account, several other e-rickshaw drivers in Moradabad have come forward with similar experiences, reporting that unexpected vehicle stoppages not only humiliate them in front of passengers but also threaten their daily earnings. They have urged local police to investigate these occurrences and to implement severe measures against those allegedly misusing the technology.

The issue has escalated to the national level, prompting BJP Yuva Morcha National Secretary Tajinder Bagga to address Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Bagga has called for an immediate prohibition on the BAT-BMS application, alleging its misuse to disable electric vehicles including e-rickshaws.

In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has taken action by removing BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion, and Lossigy from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. The ministry is actively examining reported vulnerabilities while seeking to enhance security measures to avert unauthorised access to connected battery management systems.

As of now, police authorities have yet to provide a formal response to the complaints stemming from Moradabad. Meanwhile, e-rickshaw drivers continue to demand effective action to prevent further misuse of the technology and safeguard their livelihoods.

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