Method and apparatus for testing a power bridge for an electric vehicle propulsion system

A method for testing a power bridge for an electric vehicle propulsion system, the power bridge including a plurality of switching circuits each having first and second switching elements operable between "on" and "off" states, the method comprising the steps of:

• selectively switching the first and second switching elements between the "on" and "off" states;
• independently and simultaneously monitoring the first and second switching elements of one of the plurality of switching circuits to determine whether the first and second switching elements of the one of the plurality of switching circuits operate between the "on" and "off" states when selectively switched;
• simultaneously producing an output signal for each of the first and the second switching elements representing the operational status of each of said switches:
• simultaneously analyzing the output signals to determine the operational status of the first and second switching, elements:
• and
• indicating a failure of the switching circuit when at least one of the output signals indicates that at least one of the first and second switching elements does not operate between the "on" and "off" states when selectively switched.