A windshield wiper system comprising: a three-phase motor; a three-phase inverter comprising a positive direct current - DC-bus, a negative direct current bus, a plurality of high-side power switches (44A, 44B, 44C), and a plurality of low-side power switches (46A, 46B, 46C); a brake circuit connected in parallel between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus, the brake circuit comprising a brake power switch and a resistor connected in series with the brake power switch; a controller operably connected to the three-phase motor, the three-phase inverter, and the brake circuit, the controller comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to: transmit first commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a first speed profile associated with a first rotational direction of the motor; transmit second commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a second speed profile associated with a second rotational direction of the motor opposite the first rotational direction of the motor; and transmit a first gate signal to the brake power switch to thereby close the brake power switch, wherein the controller is adapted to send the first gate signal when the first speed profile commands a first speed decrease and a DC bus voltage increases above a first DC bus voltage threshold associated with a first constant speed phase or when the second speed profile commands a second speed decrease and the DC bus voltage increases above a second DC bus voltage threshold associated with a second constant speed phase, the DC bus voltage measured between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus of the three-phase inverter. a three-phase motor; a three-phase inverter comprising a positive direct current - DC-bus, a negative direct current bus, a plurality of high-side power switches (44A, 44B, 44C), and a plurality of low-side power switches (46A, 46B, 46C); a brake circuit connected in parallel between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus, the brake circuit comprising a brake power switch and a resistor connected in series with the brake power switch; a controller operably connected to the three-phase motor, the three-phase inverter, and the brake circuit, the controller comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to: transmit first commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a first speed profile associated with a first rotational direction of the motor; transmit second commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a second speed profile associated with a second rotational direction of the motor opposite the first rotational direction of the motor; and transmit a first gate signal to the brake power switch to thereby close the brake power switch, wherein the controller is adapted to send the first gate signal when the first speed profile commands a first speed decrease and a DC bus voltage increases above a first DC bus voltage threshold associated with a first constant speed phase or when the second speed profile commands a second speed decrease and the DC bus voltage increases above a second DC bus voltage threshold associated with a second constant speed phase, the DC bus voltage measured between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus of the three-phase inverter. transmit first commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a first speed profile associated with a first rotational direction of the motor; transmit second commutation signals to the high-side power switches and low-side power switches to thereby drive the motor according to a second speed profile associated with a second rotational direction of the motor opposite the first rotational direction of the motor; and transmit a first gate signal to the brake power switch to thereby close the brake power switch, wherein the controller is adapted to send the first gate signal when the first speed profile commands a first speed decrease and a DC bus voltage increases above a first DC bus voltage threshold associated with a first constant speed phase or when the second speed profile commands a second speed decrease and the DC bus voltage increases above a second DC bus voltage threshold associated with a second constant speed phase, the DC bus voltage measured between the positive direct current bus and the negative direct current bus of the three-phase inverter.