A smartphone application known as BAT-BMS has triggered concern among electric rickshaw drivers and dealers in Delhi after several users showed it could remotely disable vehicles over Bluetooth, prompting the city's transport department to examine the matter.
What Is Going On?
The app is meant to help owners of compatible battery management systems keep tabs on readings such as voltage, temperature and current.
But it has been found that the app can also be used to cut power to a vehicle mid-use, since the underlying Bluetooth-enabled batteries can be accessed within a limited range without robust safeguards, NDTV reported citing a senior Delhi government official.
A wave of videos on Instagram, YouTube and X showed people casually walking up to parked or moving e-rickshaws — called "tirris" locally — pairing with the battery, and switching off the discharge function, leaving drivers stuck.
It Isn't Just One App
NDTV's own hands-on check found the flaw was not unique to BAT-BMS.
Testing a second, unrelated battery-management app, Epoch Li-ion, on a compatible e-rickshaw, reporters were able to power the vehicle down with a single tap and no authentication at all, restoring it only by switching back on through the same app.
That suggests the underlying weakness sits with how some Bluetooth battery systems are built, rather than with any single piece of software.
Government's Stance So Far
Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Singh told the outlet that while no formal written complaint had reached his office, informal concerns had prompted the department to begin verifying the app and assessing how far the problem extends.
Drivers Bearing The Brunt
Workshop owners say the complaints are piling up fast.
Dealer Insaaf Khan told that around 40 to 50 e-rickshaws had come in over just four days with similar faults, and that some cases now trace back to a different app entirely, suggesting the issue is spreading rather than easing.
For drivers such as Raushan Lal, the stakes are immediate: a vehicle that cuts out mid-route means lost income for someone who depends on daily earnings, and he noted it was only fortunate that no passengers were aboard when his rickshaw stalled.
ALSO READ: Open Bluetooth, No Password: Experts On How E-Rickshaws Are Vulnerable To BAT-BMS
A Red Flag For EV Security
Cybersecurity advocate Saakshar Duggal said the episode points to a lack of clear technical standards for connected components in India's EV industry, arguing that manufacturers and dealers need firmer rules to close such gaps.
Where Things Stand
BAT-BMS now appears to require a password before its switch-off function can be used, a change that came after the backlash.
But with a second app shown to carry the same weakness, the episode has raised broader questions about how securely battery-management software is built into India's fast-growing electric three-wheeler fleet — and how much scrutiny such systems face before reaching the road.
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