A ropeless elevator system, a propulsion system, and a method for operating a ropeless propulsion system are disclosed. The ropeless elevator system may include an elevator car, a hoistway in which the elevator car travels, and a ropeless propulsion system. The ropeless propulsion system may include electrical windings energized by a power source, the electrical windings affixed to a stationary structure, the stationary structure associated with the hoistway, and a magnet, the magnet affixed to a moving structure, the moving structure associated with the elevator car, and interaction between the electrical windings and the magnet generates a thrust force on the elevator car traveling in the hoistway. The ropeless elevator system may further include an array of Hall effect sensors, the array of Hall effect sensors determining a sensed magnetic field, the sensed magnetic field being associated with electrical currents carried by the windings and used to determine a magnetic field orientation of the electrical currents carried by the windings with respect to the magnet.