History and Use of CAN

In the past few decades, advances in automotive technology have led to increased use of electronic control systems for engine timing, anti-lock brake systems, and distributorless ignition. With conventional wiring, data is exchanged in these systems using dedicated signal lines. As the complexity and number of devices has increased, using dedicated signal lines becomes increasingly difficult and expensive.

To overcome the limitations of conventional automotive wiring, Bosch developed the Controller Area Network (CAN) in the mid-1980s. Using CAN, devices (controllers, sensors, and actuators) are connected on a common serial bus. This network of devices can be thought of as a scaled-down, real-time, low-cost version of networks used to connect personal computers. Any device on a CAN network can communicate with any other device using a common pair of wires.

As CAN implementations increased in the automotive industry, CAN was standardized internationally as ISO 11898. CAN chips were created by major semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel, Motorola, and Philips. With these developments, manufacturers of industrial automation equipment began to consider CAN for use in industrial applications. Comparison of the requirements for automotive and industrial device networks showed numerous similarities, including the transition away from dedicated signal lines, low cost, resistance to harsh environments, and high real-time capabilities.

Because of these similarities, CAN became widely used in photoelectric sensors and motion controllers for textile machinery, packaging machines, and production line equipment. By the mid-1990s, CAN was specified as the basis of many industrial device networking protocols, including DeviceNet, and CANopen.

With its growing popularity in automotive and industrial applications, CAN has been increasingly used in a wide variety of diverse applications. Use in agricultural equipment, nautical machinery, medical apparatus, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and machine tools testify to the versatility of CAN.