The Union Government on Friday said it has removed two BAT-BMS mobile applications from app stores after reports emerged that e-rickshaws could be remotely disabled via Chinese-linked software, raising concerns about cybersecurity in connected mobility.According to PTI, speaking on the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Cybersecurity Summit, IT Secretary S Krishnan confirmed that the government had acted after the applications came to its notice.”That is right… there are a couple of apps, which came to our notice yesterday and both of them have been taken down from the app stores,” Krishnan said.He added that app stores must exercise greater due diligence before hosting applications and said the government would engage with them to ensure potentially harmful apps are not made available to users.The issue gained traction on Thursday after videos circulated on social media allegedly showing e-rickshaws being rendered inoperable through a remote shutdown feature linked to the BAT-BMS smartphone application. The videos sparked widespread concern about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in internet-connected vehicle management systems.The development comes amid growing scrutiny of software and connectivity features in electric vehicles, particularly those that rely on third-party applications for battery management and vehicle diagnostics.Industry experts have increasingly highlighted the need for stronger cybersecurity standards as connected vehicle adoption accelerates.The government has not yet disclosed whether it will initiate a broader review of similar vehicle management applications or issue fresh cybersecurity guidelines for connected mobility platforms.The removal of the two applications follows concerns that unauthorised remote access to vehicle systems could pose safety and operational risks for commercial electric vehicle operators, especially in densely populated urban areas.
