NEW DELHI: Delhi govt has asked the transport department to ascertain the originality and authenticity of the Chinese smartphone application BAT-BMS, which has come under scrutiny after a viral social media trend claimed it could remotely disable e-rickshaws through Bluetooth.Videos on Instagram, YouTube and X show users connecting to e-rickshaw batteries and switching off their discharge function, leaving drivers stranded and confused.Transport minister Pankaj Singh said the department had been directed to verify the app and examine the claims. “I am yet to get a written complaint, but people flagged this issue at my office. So I have asked officials to get the correct information,” he said.A senior govt official said, “Prime facie, it appears that the application allows users to wirelessly connect to Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries within a fixed metre range.” The department has carried out some research and found that one of the app’s functions is allowing real-time monitoring of battery status, including voltage, and temperature, but it is being used mischievously.
The official said this could also be because many e-rickshaws used Chinese-manufactured battery management systems with hardly any security, which is like an open Bluetooth settings, making it easy to connect through a mobile app. “No password or authentication is required, that’s why cutting the power output to bring the vehicle to a sudden halt is easy,” he added.
