Govt orders removal of three Chinese apps being misused to remotely disable EVs
BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion taken down after reports of remote shutdowns of battery-operated vehicles; Centre warns similar apps misused for such purposes will also be blocked
In a major crackdown, the government has ordered the removal of three Chinese apps - BAT-BMS, Lossigy, Epoch-i-ion - that were being misused to remotely disable battery-operated vehicles in the country, sources said on Friday (July 3).
The action from the government came after some videos surfaced showing that some e-rickshaws were being rendered inoperable through a remote shutdown feature linked to the Chinese smartphone application BAT-BMS.
These videos sparked widespread concerns over the cybersecurity risks posed by such internet-connected vehicle management systems.
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Sources said that the government has ordered the removal of BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion apps being misused in remotely disabling battery-operated vehicles.
Any other such app being misused will also be blocked, government sources warned.
Earlier on Friday, IT Secretary S Krishnan - speaking on the sidelines of a CII Cybersecurity summit - asserted that app stores must exercise due diligence, and said the government would take up the matter with them to ensure that potentially-harmful apps are not made available.
(With agency inputs)