India’s MeitY orders Google, Apple to remove e-rickshaw apps

The Indian government has directed Google and Apple to remove several mobile applications from their app stores after the software was allegedly misused to remotely disable battery-operated vehicles, primarily erickshaws, while in motion. The action, ordered by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Friday, July 3, 2026, follows widespread reports and viral videos showing the dangerous pranks disrupting traffic and endangering passengers.

Officials said the targeted apps, which include BATBMS, Lossigy, SMART BMS, and Epochiion, were originally legitimate battery management system (BMS) tools. Designed for fleet operators and service centers, they allow monitoring of battery health, charge levels, and location, and include a remote immobilization feature intended for use in cases of loan default or theft. However, security flaws in the design of some low-cost, Bluetooth-enabled battery packs installed in many erickshaws allowed the feature to be exploited.

The primary vulnerability stems from battery management systems that lack password protection or use weak default credentials. This allows any smartphone user with one of the apps, standing within a...