Overview The need for serial communication in vehicles Use of the CAN in vehicles Industrial application of the CAN Overview CAN networks can be used as an embedded communication system for microcontrollers as well as an open communication system for intelligent devices. The CAN serial bus system, originally developed for use in automobiles, is increasingly being used in industrial as well as building automation, medical equipment and maritime electronics. If the requirements for passenger cars networks are compared with those for industrial field bus systems, the similarities are remarkable. Some users, for example in the field of medical engineering, opted for CAN because they have to meet particulary stringent safety requirements.
Many vehicles already have a large number of electronic control systems.
The growth of automotive electronics is the result partly of the customer's wish for better safety and greater comfort and partly of the government's requirements for improved emission control and reduced fuel consumption. The complexity of the functions implemented in these systems necessitates an exchange of data between them. With conventional systems, data is exchanged by means of dedicated signal lines, but this is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive as control functions become ever more complex. Moreover, a number of systems are being developed, which implement functions covering more than one control device. For instance, ASC requires the interplay of engine timing and carburettor control in order to reduce torque when drive wheel slippage occurs.