Key facts
- Government directed EV makers to tighten cybersecurity protocols
- Battery system audits mandated for EV manufacturers
- Move addresses rising concerns over connected-vehicle hacking risks
- EV battery fires in India have prompted calls for stricter oversight
The Indian government has issued a directive to electric vehicle manufacturers asking them to tighten cybersecurity protocols and undertake rigorous audits of their battery systems, signalling that regulators are stepping up scrutiny of the fast-growing EV sector.
The advisory reflects two distinct but related concerns. First, modern EVs are highly connected devices — they communicate with charging infrastructure, manufacturer servers and smartphone apps — making them potential targets for cyberattacks that could compromise vehicle controls or harvest user data. Second, battery management system failures have been linked to EV fires in India, prompting calls for mandatory audits to ensure cells and software are operating within safe parameters.
India's EV market has seen explosive growth in recent years, with two-wheelers, three-wheelers and passenger vehicles all seeing rising electric penetration. The government's push through schemes supporting EV adoption has accelerated this, but the regulatory framework around cybersecurity and battery safety has lagged behind the pace of deployment.
Manufacturers will now face pressure to invest in security architecture and battery audit processes, which could add costs but should also raise overall safety and consumer confidence. Industry observers expect formal guidelines or standards to follow the advisory, potentially bringing India's EV cybersecurity and battery safety rules closer to frameworks already developing in the European Union and China.