Govt orders removal of apps used to remotely shut down e-vehicles

The government has ordered app stores to remove BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion after videos showed they could be used to remotely disable electric vehicles, citing cybersecurity concerns

The government has ordered the removal and blocking of access to the mobile applications BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion after videos surfaced showing these apps being used to remotely disable battery-operated vehicles, a senior government official said.

 

“There are a couple of apps which came to our notice yesterday, and both of them have been taken down from the app stores. The point is that due care should be exercised by the stores. We will take it up with the app stores to see that such damaging apps do not come up,” Information Technology Secretary S Krishnan said on the sidelines of an event here on Friday.

   

Any such apps being misused to remotely lock or disable battery-operated vehicles will be banned in the future as well, another official said.

 

The BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion apps are mobile applications used to monitor battery levels, temperature and cycle life in e-vehicles. The apps allow users to connect to the battery management device fitted inside these vehicles via Bluetooth.

 

These apps have been developed to help e-vehicle owners monitor their vehicles' battery performance. They can, however, also be exploited to remotely shut down vehicles by connecting to the battery management device inside the e-vehicle.

 

Apps such as BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion connect to the battery management device of any e-vehicle within 15-30 metres via Bluetooth. Due to the lack of a password or PIN to prevent unauthorised access, the apps can override the software and force the vehicle to shut down.

 

In India, videos by content creators on several platforms surfaced showing them using the apps to remotely shut down the e-rickshaws and e-scooters of food and grocery delivery partners.

 

These videos also sparked concerns about the cybersecurity risks associated with such apps that allow non-owners to remotely shut down or trigger changes to internet-connected vehicle management systems, another official said.

 

“While such apps that use Bluetooth connections to trigger shutdowns are worrisome, most devices, including large fleets of corporations and even government vehicles, are today powered by vehicle management systems that can be remotely locked since they are connected to the cloud. We are also looking into such systems and will issue appropriate orders if necessary,” the official said.