When Software Learns to Control the Physical World
Technology no longer merely stores information; it increasingly controls the physical world. The law, however, still regulates it as if it were confined to a database.India’s recent controversy surrounding the BAT-BMS mobile application brought India's evolving relationship with technology into sharp focus. Reports suggested that the application could remotely connect to the Battery Management Systems (BMS) of certain e-rickshaws and disable them through a mobile interface, raising serious concerns about public safety, cybersecurity, and the misuse of connected technologies. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reportedly directed app stores to remove such applications, recognizing that software capable of remotely controlling physical infrastructure presents risks extending far beyond conventional cybercrime.
