What is CAN-bus? Communication protocol for real-time data exchange between embedded systems

What is CAN-bus?

CAN-bus (Controller Area Network) is a serial communication protocol designed for reliable, efficient, and real-time data exchange between electronic components—without the need for a central host computer. Originally developed by Bosch in the 1980s for automotive electronics, CAN-bus is now widely used in industrial automation, medical equipment, agricultural machinery, and IoT environments.

How Does CAN-bus Work?

In a CAN-bus system, all connected devices (also called “nodes”) share a common communication network: the bus. Every device on the network can both send and receive messages. Communication is based on message priority—the most important message gets access to the bus first.

Instead of addressing devices by their location (as with IP), messages are identified by their type of content (ID). This makes the network highly scalable, modular, and resistant to faults.

Key Features of CAN-bus

• Bidirectional communication on a single data line pair
  Only one twisted pair is required to connect multiple devices.
• Balanced communication
  Differential signaling improves resistance to interference (EMC robustness).
• Message-based protocol
  Data is transmitted in prioritized messages, enabling real-time operation.
• Robust and reliable
  Operates in harsh conditions and resists electrical interference.
• Fail-safe design
  The protocol automatically handles errors or collisions and restores communication.

Applications of CAN-bus

• Automotive electronics
  Communication between the engine, brake system (ABS/ESP), transmission, airbags, lighting, dashboard, and comfort systems.
• Industrial automation
  Control of motors, sensors, and HMIs via embedded controllers in robots or production lines.
• Agricultural and mining equipment
  Multiple subsystems communicate via a single CAN network for hydraulics, control, and telemetry.
• Building automation and HVAC
  Local communication between control modules in smart buildings.
• IoT and edge devices
  Integration into microcontrollers and gateway systems for data collection and analysis.

Advantages of CAN-bus

• Reduced wiring
  Communication via just two wires instead of separate cables for each signal type.
• Real-time response
  Suited for time-critical applications through priority-based data transmission.
• Cost-effective
  Efficient architecture with minimal hardware requirements.
• High reliability
  Self-correcting in case of errors, with low risk of data corruption.
• Scalable
  Supports dozens of nodes on a single network without central coordination.

Variants of CAN-bus

• CAN 2.0A/B – The original specification (11-bit or 29-bit identifiers)
• CAN FD (Flexible Data Rate) – Higher data rates and larger payloads (up to 64 bytes per message)
• LIN, FlexRay, MOST – Alternative protocols in the automotive sector depending on bandwidth or real-time requirements

More Information

Looking to integrate CAN-bus into your industrial network or vehicle-based IoT solution? Thingsdata offers hardware, connectivity, and protocol gateways for reading, interpreting, and forwarding CAN-bus data.

Contact us at +31 (0)85 0443500 or info@thingsdata.com, or browse our range of CAN-compatible products in the Thingsdata webshop.