CAN Network: General

Increasing demands for further functionality in the vehicle, both by statutory requirement and customers, have led to an increased complexity in the vehicle.

This, in turn, has encouraged developments towards more flexible electrical systems. The CAN-net (Controller Area Network) is a result of this research. The network permits the transmission and receipt of a large number of different commands and messages on the same wiring. Every command or message used to require a separate cable. Using networks has allowed functionality to be expanded without increasing the number of cables.

The number of commands and messages which can be handled on the network depends on factors such as the network speed and the length of the message or command. The Volvo network which is based on a control area network (CAN), can transmit over 500 different signals and approximately 100 messages. These messages are also called frames. Each message can contain several signals.