What happened
CERT-In has reported safety concerns involving electric three-wheelers, or e-rickshaws, after finding that unauthorized users may be able to abruptly power off moving vehicles through a publicly available Battery Management System mobile application. The issue concerns the Bluetooth module inside the Battery Management System chip fitted in the battery module.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has issued an advisory on Bluetooth Battery Management System vulnerabilities in e-rickshaws to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, industry bodies, and testing agencies.
Background and earlier position
A Battery Management System is a core control unit in an electric vehicle battery pack. In low-cost e-rickshaws, the Battery Management Systems reported by CERT-In commonly have default or no credentials, which can allow unauthorized connection and modification of settings.
The reported weakness is not limited to device security. It affects vehicle operation because the Battery Management System can cut off battery discharge and trigger a sudden shutdown while the e-rickshaw is in motion.
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