DUAL MOTOR DRIVE ASSEMBLY

A dual-motor drive assembly, comprising a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted to the housing, a first gear connected to the shaft, first and second motors, each driving a respective output gear which are engaged with the first gear, a motor controller allocating torque demands to the first and second motors to apply a torque to the first gear, a determination unit for an angular position signal of the first and second motors, and a processing unit receiving the angular position signals when the motor controller allocates a torque demand that produces a differential torque at the shaft having a first sense; the differential torque taking up any free-play between the two output gears and the first gear, receiving the angular position signals-when the motor controller allocates a torque demand that produces a differential torque at the shaft having a second sense, the differential torque taking up any free-play between the two output gears and the first gear, and the processing arrangement estimates the level of backlash in the gearbox as a function of the values of the angular position signals at first and second times.