India Orders Removal of Three Apps Over E-Rickshaw Disruption

The Indian government ordered Google and Apple to remove three mobile applications – BAT-BMS, Epoch-i-ion, Lossigy – from their app stores in India after they were used to disrupt e-rickshaw operations, government officials said.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the apps were misused to cause sudden stoppages of e-rickshaws, creating safety risks for drivers and passengers. The apps are believed to have remotely interfered with vehicle control systems, according to one official.

The order marks one of the first regulatory actions in India targeting app-based interference with public transport. E-rickshaw fleets have grown rapidly across Indian cities as a last-mile transport option, often relying on smartphone apps for battery management, route tracking and fleet coordination.

Officials said the Ministry is working with app stores to prevent similar harmful applications from being listed. The directive could tighten the review process for apps that claim to manage vehicle hardware. Google and Apple may now need to verify that such apps have proper authentication and cannot be used to issue commands that disrupt operations.

India has previously blocked foreign apps over data privacy and national security concerns, including bans on TikTok and other Chinese apps. The e-rickshaw case is different: it targets apps that physically interfere with vehicles. That could set a new regulatory precedent for software that controls hardware on public transport.

The three apps appear to be designed for battery management and fleet tracking. The misuse suggests a vulnerability in the way app stores vet software that interfaces with vehicle systems. Fleet operators using similar apps may face increased scrutiny from regulators.

The Ministry said it will continue monitoring app stores for similar threats. A list of potentially harmful applications is being compiled, one official added, though no timeline was given.