MeitY Removes BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion Apps Over E-Rickshaw Safety Concerns
India’s IT ministry removed BAT-BMS and Epoch Li-ion apps after safety concerns emerged over remote shutdown of e-rickshaws via Bluetooth battery systems.
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India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has banned two mobile apps, BAT-BMS and Epoch Li-ion, over fear of remote shutdown of e-rickshaws using connected battery systems. The action comes after an internal investigation launched when videos of cars being turned off mid-ride went viral, raising serious safety concerns.
The apps have been pulled down from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store after an investigation by the ministry, MeitY Secretary S Krishnan said at an event by the Confederation of Indian Industry on July 3.
The apps, both of which are associated with Chinese battery management systems, were probed after social media videos showed people apparently pairing with nearby e-rickshaws over Bluetooth and switching off their power while the vehicles were in motion.
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Remote Shutdown Risk:
BAT-BMS is used to interface with lithium-ion battery management systems, which are often installed in low-cost e-rickshaws. It allows users to monitor the health of the battery and in some cases send control commands to the battery pack. In some cases uncovered by the ministry, this access was exploited by unauthorised Bluetooth connections, leading to sudden power outages that instantly disabled the vehicle.
Epoch Li-ion offers similar capabilities, including battery monitoring, diagnostics and configuration tools for electric three-wheelers and similar vehicles. It was also reviewed in the same review as there were questions about possible weak spots in linked battery systems.
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Officials noted that when the battery management system cuts power, the e-rickshaw loses propulsion instantly. Since these cars operate on electric power only, such abrupt stoppages can be a safety hazard for passengers, drivers and other traffic.
The incidents have raised broader questions about cybersecurity and safety standards in India’s rapidly growing electric mobility sector, especially in the largely unregulated e-rickshaw segment that extensively uses low-cost connected battery systems.
