Preventing thermal events in vehicles

A computer program product comprising:

• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:
• monitoring a first temperature of an electric motor of a vehicle during operation;
• monitoring a second temperature of an inverter of an inverter system that drives the electric motor;
• and
• responsive to detecting a fault of the inverter system:
• comparing a first current generated by the inverter with an expected current corresponding to a control signal used to drive the inverter;
• initiating a first fault action when the first current exceeds the expected current;
• and
• determining, based at least on the first temperature, the second temperature, and the comparison of the first current with the expected current, that a thermal event of the vehicle is imminent.

A vehicle comprising:

• an electric motor;
• an inverter system configured to drive the electric motor;
• and
• one or more computer processors configured to perform operations comprising:
• monitoring a first temperature of the electric motor during operation;
• monitoring a second temperature of an inverter of the inverter system;
• and
• responsive to detecting a fault of the inverter system:
• comparing a first current generated by the inverter with an expected current corresponding to a control signal used to drive the inverter;
• initiating a first fault action when the first current exceeds the expected current;
• and
• determining, based at least on the first temperature, the second temperature, and the comparison of the first current with the expected current, that a thermal event of the vehicle is imminent.