An apparatus for releasing an electric motor-driven parking brake of a motor vehicle, the electric motor-driven parking brake comprising a mechanical parking brake, which is applied and released by controlling the operation and direction of an electric motor (102, 104) that is mechanically coupled to the mechanical parking brake, the electric motor being normally driven by a first electrical energy source, the apparatus comprising: a processor configured to receive a parking brake power supply failure signal, which when received, it indicates to the processor that the first electrical energy source is unable to provide electrical energy to the electric motor (102, 104), characterized in that the apparatus further comprising: an electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) connected between a second electrical energy source and the electric motor (102, 104), the normally-open switch (130, 132) being operatively coupled to the processor and capable of closing and opening responsive to a control signal from the processor; wherein, the processor is configured to send a parking brake release control signal to the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) upon the processor's receipt of the parking brake power supply failure signal, the parking brake release control signal causing the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) to close and thereby provide electrical energy to the motor (102, 104) further comprising first and second timers (126, 150) connected in series, the first and second timers (126, 150) enabling and disabling the actuation of the electronically controlled, normally-open switch, wherein the first timer is started when the motor vehicle ignition is turned on and runs until the expiration of a predetermined amount of time the expiration of which is followed by a signal being sent to the second timer to begin a wait time for reset signal. a processor configured to receive a parking brake power supply failure signal, which when received, it indicates to the processor that the first electrical energy source is unable to provide electrical energy to the electric motor (102, 104), characterized in that the apparatus further comprising: an electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) connected between a second electrical energy source and the electric motor (102, 104), the normally-open switch (130, 132) being operatively coupled to the processor and capable of closing and opening responsive to a control signal from the processor; wherein, the processor is configured to send a parking brake release control signal to the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) upon the processor's receipt of the parking brake power supply failure signal, the parking brake release control signal causing the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) to close and thereby provide electrical energy to the motor (102, 104) further comprising first and second timers (126, 150) connected in series, the first and second timers (126, 150) enabling and disabling the actuation of the electronically controlled, normally-open switch, wherein the first timer is started when the motor vehicle ignition is turned on and runs until the expiration of a predetermined amount of time the expiration of which is followed by a signal being sent to the second timer to begin a wait time for reset signal. an electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) connected between a second electrical energy source and the electric motor (102, 104), the normally-open switch (130, 132) being operatively coupled to the processor and capable of closing and opening responsive to a control signal from the processor; wherein, the processor is configured to send a parking brake release control signal to the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) upon the processor's receipt of the parking brake power supply failure signal, the parking brake release control signal causing the electronically controlled, normally-open switch (130, 132) to close and thereby provide electrical energy to the motor (102, 104) further comprising first and second timers (126, 150) connected in series, the first and second timers (126, 150) enabling and disabling the actuation of the electronically controlled, normally-open switch, wherein the first timer is started when the motor vehicle ignition is turned on and runs until the expiration of a predetermined amount of time the expiration of which is followed by a signal being sent to the second timer to begin a wait time for reset signal.