A fault-tolerant power semiconductor switching device control system, the control system comprising: a coordinating control system; and a plurality of switching device controllers each coupled to said coordinating control system and each configured to control a respective power semiconductor switching device; wherein said coordinating control system is configured to send real time switching control data to said switching device controllers to control switching of said power semiconductor switching devices, and to receive real time acknowledgement data from said switching device controllers; wherein each of said switching device controllers is configured to receive said real time switching control data from said coordinating control system, to control said power semiconductor switching device responsive to said real time switching control data, and to provide said real time acknowledgement data confirming said switching device control to said coordinating control system; and wherein said coordinating control system is further configured to control further switching of said power semiconductor switching devices responsive to said real time acknowledgementdata; wherein said acknowledgement data includes fault detection data, and wherein one of said switching device controllers is configured to monitor switching of said power semiconductor switching device and to generate said fault detection data in response to said monitoring, wherein said fault detection data indicates whether a fault is present in said switching of said power semiconductor switching device; wherein said coordinating control system is configured to process said fault detection data to identify when said fault is present and to make a fault handling decision in response; characterized in that said fault handling decision comprises a decision to control the power semiconductor switching device for which said fault is present to a safe switching state, and wherein said coordinating control system is configured to send corresponding real time switching control data to said power semiconductor switching device for which said fault is present; and wherein said safe switching state includes at least one intermediate state between a fully-off state and a saturated-on state. a coordinating control system; and a plurality of switching device controllers each coupled to said coordinating control system and each configured to control a respective power semiconductor switching device; wherein said coordinating control system is configured to send real time switching control data to said switching device controllers to control switching of said power semiconductor switching devices, and to receive real time acknowledgement data from said switching device controllers; wherein each of said switching device controllers is configured to receive said real time switching control data from said coordinating control system, to control said power semiconductor switching device responsive to said real time switching control data, and to provide said real time acknowledgement data confirming said switching device control to said coordinating control system; and wherein said coordinating control system is further configured to control further switching of said power semiconductor switching devices responsive to said real time acknowledgementdata; wherein said acknowledgement data includes fault detection data, and wherein one of said switching device controllers is configured to monitor switching of said power semiconductor switching device and to generate said fault detection data in response to said monitoring, wherein said fault detection data indicates whether a fault is present in said switching of said power semiconductor switching device; wherein said coordinating control system is configured to process said fault detection data to identify when said fault is present and to make a fault handling decision in response; characterized in that said fault handling decision comprises a decision to control the power semiconductor switching device for which said fault is present to a safe switching state, and wherein said coordinating control system is configured to send corresponding real time switching control data to said power semiconductor switching device for which said fault is present; and wherein said safe switching state includes at least one intermediate state between a fully-off state and a saturated-on state.