Active human-machine interface system including an electrically controllable damper

An active human-machine interface system, comprising:

• a user interface;
• a plurality of motors coupled to the user interface, each motor configured, upon being energized, to supply haptic feedback force to the user interface;
• a plurality of motor controllers, each motor controller coupled to, and configured to selectively energize, one of the motors;
• a plurality of electrically controllable dampers coupled to the user interface, each electrically controllable damper configured, upon being energized, to supply a damping force to the user interface;
• and
• a plurality of damper controllers, each damper controller in operable communication with one of the motor controllers and coupled to one of the electrically controllable dampers, configured to determine operability of one of the motors and one of the motor controllers and to selectively energize one of the electrically controllable dampers only if it determines that at least one of the motors or one of the motor controllers are inoperable.