2 apps used to turn off e-rickshaws taken down after prank videos go viral
Viral videos showed people using smartphone apps to remotely switch off moving e-rickshaws, triggering safety concerns and prompting the Centre to remove two such apps from app stores.
The government has confirmed that two mobile applications allegedly used to remotely switch off moving e-rickshaws have been removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store after videos demonstrating the feature went viral on social media.
Speaking on the development, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the government acted after the apps came to its notice.
"There are a couple of apps which came to our notice yesterday, and both the apps have been taken down from the app stores. App stores need to exercise due care; we will take it up with them to see that possibly damaging apps don't come up," Krishnan said.
The move followed the circulation of several viral prank videos that raised concerns over the cybersecurity of electric vehicles, particularly battery-powered e-rickshaws.
The videos, widely shared on X, appeared to show individuals using a smartphone application to remotely connect to nearby e-rickshaws and switch them off while they were in motion. The clips claimed that a Chinese app named BAT-BMS could establish a connection with compatible battery management systems in certain electric three-wheelers, allowing users to disable the vehicles remotely.
The videos triggered widespread concern over the potential misuse of such applications and the safety risks posed if moving vehicles could be interfered with through unauthorised access.
Following the controversy, the government directed that the two apps be removed from app stores and said it would engage with app store operators to ensure that applications capable of causing public harm are subjected to greater scrutiny before being made available.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi government ordered a probe into allegations that lithium battery-powered e-rickshaws were being remotely disabled through the BAT-BMS app, leaving several drivers stranded on the roads.
Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the government learnt about the issue through social media and asserted that strict action would follow if the allegations were found to be true.
Recently, Ujjain Police arrested a man for allegedly using a mobile application to remotely disable e-rickshaws and extort money from drivers. A fraud case has been registered and an investigation is underway. In a separate incident, an e-rickshaw driver in Moradabad was left distressed after his vehicle was allegedly locked through the app.
The government has confirmed that two mobile applications allegedly used to remotely switch off moving e-rickshaws have been removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store after videos demonstrating the feature went viral on social media.
Speaking on the development, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the government acted after the apps came to its notice.
"There are a couple of apps which came to our notice yesterday, and both the apps have been taken down from the app stores. App stores need to exercise due care; we will take it up with them to see that possibly damaging apps don't come up," Krishnan said.
The move followed the circulation of several viral prank videos that raised concerns over the cybersecurity of electric vehicles, particularly battery-powered e-rickshaws.
The videos, widely shared on X, appeared to show individuals using a smartphone application to remotely connect to nearby e-rickshaws and switch them off while they were in motion. The clips claimed that a Chinese app named BAT-BMS could establish a connection with compatible battery management systems in certain electric three-wheelers, allowing users to disable the vehicles remotely.
The videos triggered widespread concern over the potential misuse of such applications and the safety risks posed if moving vehicles could be interfered with through unauthorised access.
Following the controversy, the government directed that the two apps be removed from app stores and said it would engage with app store operators to ensure that applications capable of causing public harm are subjected to greater scrutiny before being made available.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi government ordered a probe into allegations that lithium battery-powered e-rickshaws were being remotely disabled through the BAT-BMS app, leaving several drivers stranded on the roads.
Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the government learnt about the issue through social media and asserted that strict action would follow if the allegations were found to be true.
Recently, Ujjain Police arrested a man for allegedly using a mobile application to remotely disable e-rickshaws and extort money from drivers. A fraud case has been registered and an investigation is underway. In a separate incident, an e-rickshaw driver in Moradabad was left distressed after his vehicle was allegedly locked through the app.
