Asked to pay Rs 150 for e-rickshaw to start: Driver says vehicle remotely disabled

An e-rickshaw driver in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad has alleged that his vehicle was remotely disabled while he was carrying passengers, forcing him to pay money to restart it. The incident has intensified concerns over the alleged misuse of a Bluetooth-enabled battery management application, BAT-BMS, with several similar claims emerging from across the country.

Driver Shivam claimed that his e-rickshaw suddenly stopped in the middle of the road without any mechanical fault while passengers were on board.

"Some youths stopped my e-rickshaw remotely while passengers were travelling. They later demanded Rs 100-150 to restart it. I had no option but to pay them. Later, I came to know about the app and downloaded it myself to secure it with a password. Otherwise, my vehicle would have been targeted again," he alleged.

OTHER CASES RAISE ALARM

Shivam's account comes amid a wave of viral videos claiming that an application called BAT-BMS can remotely disable compatible e-rickshaw batteries through Bluetooth. One widely circulated video purportedly shows an e-rickshaw driver pushing his vehicle for nearly three kilometres after its battery was allegedly locked remotely.

Social media users have claimed that some pranksters and content creators are misusing the app to stop moving e-rickshaws for online videos, while others are allegedly extorting money from drivers by demanding payment to restore access to their vehicles.

While the claims have not been independently verified, experts say BAT-BMS is a battery management application designed to communicate with compatible Bluetooth-enabled lithium battery systems. Vehicles equipped with non-Bluetooth batteries or proprietary battery management systems are generally not affected. However, weak or absent password protection on certain battery systems could potentially leave them vulnerable to unauthorised access.

DRIVERS SEEK POLICE ACTION

Several other e-rickshaw drivers in Moradabad also claimed they have faced similar problems, saying sudden stoppages embarrass them in front of passengers and directly affect their daily earnings. They have urged the police to investigate the allegations and take strict action against those allegedly misusing the technology.

MEITY REMOVES APPS, PROBE UNDERWAY

The controversy has now reached the Centre. BJP Yuva Morcha National Secretary Tajinder Bagga said he had written to Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw seeking an immediate ban on BAT-BMS, alleging that it was being misused to remotely disable e-rickshaws and other electric vehicles.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has since initiated action. BAT-BMS, Epoch Li-ion and Lossigy have been removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The ministry is also examining the reported vulnerabilities and exploring measures to strengthen security and prevent unauthorised access to connected battery management systems.

Police are yet to issue an official statement on the complaints from Moradabad, while drivers continue to demand action to prevent further misuse and safeguard their livelihoods.

- Ends

With inputs from Jagat Gautam