Key facts
- Chinese battery apps removed after Bluetooth hack stalled e-rickshaws
- Delhi drivers' earnings fell from Rs 1,000 to Rs 600 per day
- Pranksters used Bluetooth proximity to remotely halt vehicles
- Government issued ouster order against the implicated apps
India's government has moved to take down Chinese-origin battery management apps used in e-rickshaws after a wave of malicious Bluetooth interference left drivers stranded and earnings slashed. The apps, which allow remote locking and unlocking of e-rickshaw battery systems, were exploited by pranksters who used proximity-based Bluetooth access to halt the vehicles without warning.
The real-world impact on drivers has been severe. According to reporting by The Indian Express, Delhi's e-rickshaw drivers saw daily earnings fall from Rs 1,000 to Rs 600 as rides were cut short by the remote stalling, leaving commuters stranded and drivers unable to complete trips.
The vulnerability exposed a systemic gap in the rollout of smart battery technology for low-cost electric vehicles. Many e-rickshaw operators had little awareness that the apps controlling their battery locks could be accessed by strangers within Bluetooth range, turning an everyday productivity tool into a harassment weapon.
The government's ouster order targets the specific apps identified as exploitable, and follows a broader pattern of action against Chinese-linked software deemed a security or public-order risk. The move will force battery manufacturers and fleet operators to migrate to more secure, locally compliant alternatives — a transition that could take time and add costs for an already thin-margin sector.
For India's vast fleet of e-rickshaw operators — many of them daily-wage workers in urban and peri-urban areas — the episode is a sharp reminder that digital dependence without digital security carries direct economic consequences.