ARTICLE AD BOX
New Delhi: The Indian electric mobility market has expanded significantly in recent years, and electric three-wheelers are the biggest volume segment in the country. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ VAHAN portal has reported that over one million EV three-wheelers have been registered in India, playing a key role in the country’s last-mile mobility and providing livelihoods for lakhs of drivers. With software-controlled battery systems, these vehicles are becoming more connected, and cybersecurity is becoming a key concern, in addition to battery performance and cost.
The worry was raised after the Centre issued instructions to remove battery management smartphone applications after reports of e-rickshaws with compatible software being remotely deactivated while in use. The shift came after videos went viral of people allegedly using battery management apps via Bluetooth to disable moving e-rickshaws, raising concerns about passenger safety and security of connected EV technologies.
Government has ordered the removal of battery management apps.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has urged Google and Apple to delist battery management apps that are associated with the remote shutdown of compatible e-rickshaws from their app stores. As investigations continued, initial reports mentioned two apps, but later reports indicated that the government extended the directive to include seven apps, including BAT-BMS, SMART BMS, Lossigy and Epoch Li-ion.
The move is not a ban on Chinese-made batteries or battery manufacturers, officials explained, but instead is aimed at certain mobile applications that may be misused. Technical investigations continue to determine the extent of the vulnerability.
How to remotely turn off e-rickshaws?
The problem is related to the Battery Management System (BMS) installed in the lithium ion batteries of many EVs.
A BMS is a device that keeps a constant check on the voltage, temperature, charging, discharging and overall health of a battery. Many modern systems have Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) which enables owners, service centres and battery manufacturers to track battery performance via smartphone applications.
Investigators say some of these apps enabled users within Bluetooth range to link up with compatible battery packs and stop the batteries from discharging, thus stopping vehicles from moving. The viral videos were of pranksters supposedly hacking cars remotely over the internet, not using this feature.
The EV sector is growing at a rapid pace and now has a new challenge.
The electric three-wheeler market in India has seen significant growth, driven by its cost-effectiveness, government incentives, and the increasing demand for sustainable mobility in urban areas. According to industry data, the electric three-wheeler segment is the biggest in the country, playing a key role in India’s overall electrification plans.
Meanwhile, the majority of the sector remains dependent on imported battery cells, battery electronics and Battery Management Systems (BMS), with domestic production on the rise with the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and localisation initiatives.
The most interesting aspect is that the most recent incident is a move away from battery technology, and towards the software controlling those batteries.
Cybersecurity comes into India’s EV discussion.
The incident has sparked a renewed debate on cybersecurity standards, software certification and digital safety for connected electric vehicles.
To prevent unauthorised users from interacting with battery management systems, industry experts suggest that manufacturers may need to beef up Bluetooth authentication, encryption, access controls and software verification. As more and more software is incorporated into EV operations, regulators could also consider mandating cybersecurity certification for connected EV components.
Looking ahead
The move by India to ban battery management apps underscores the critical role of digital security in India’s burgeoning EV market. While the problem seems to be limited to specific compatible battery systems and not all EVs, it has raised awareness of the dangers of connected mobility.
The incident is expected to spur discussions on enhanced cybersecurity requirements, software governance, and supplier responsibility for the EV sector in India. Along with battery performance and charging infrastructure, consumer confidence in electric mobility will also rely on the security and misuse resistance of connected vehicle systems, as they become increasingly software-centric.
English (US) ·