A viral video has surfaced showing an e-rickshaw driver pushing his vehicle for kilometres after it was remotely disabled by a prankster using a smartphone app. The incident highlights a growing, dangerous trend where individuals misuse the BAT-BMS app to shut down e-rickshaws, disrupting the livelihoods of drivers.
A video of an e-rickshaw driver pushing his vehicle for kilometres after someone allegedly switched off its battery using a smartphone app has reignited concerns over a dangerous prank that is disrupting the livelihoods of drivers across India. The incident involving an e-rickshaw driver who was left stranded after his vehicle was remotely deactivated was captured on camera and posted on X by user Dilip Rana.
In the footage, a guy documenting the event approached an e-rickshaw driver who was seen pushing his car down the roadside. The very upset motorist explains that his car had stopped operating when asked what had happened.
The driver responded in the positive when the guy enquired whether anyone had used their cell phone to turn off the battery. The driver said that once the e-rickshaw abruptly stopped working, he had already pushed it for more than three km.
After connecting to the e-rickshaw’s battery management system and using the BAT-BMS app on his own phone, the guy turned the battery back on. The relieved driver folded his hands and thanked the stranger for his assistance when the car started up again a little while later.
The incident occurred amid rising worry about the abuse of the BAT-BMS software, which is a genuine battery management tool designed to monitor and operate compatible Bluetooth-enabled lithium batteries.
However, pranksters have lately exploited the software to remotely deactivate certain e-rickshaws equipped with inadequately protected Bluetooth-enabled battery management systems. Anyone within Bluetooth range may use this program to connect to the battery and stop its discharge mechanism, shutting off electricity to the vehicle.
According to the caption accompanying the viral clip, the driver was forced to push his e-rickshaw nearly three kilometres after someone remotely disabled it using the app, costing him an entire day’s earnings. The post also alleged that some social media creators have been carrying out such pranks for online content at the expense of poor drivers.
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The video sparked widespread outrage online, with many users pointing out that such pranks could have consequences far beyond inconveniencing drivers.