TRAINING FROM INTREPID CONTROL SYSTEMS
There is a common misconception echoing through the automotive industry right now: with automotive Ethernet fast becoming the new vehicle backbone, older network protocols like Controller Area Network (CAN) and CAN FD (Flexible Data-Rate) are on their way out. But according to Don Hatfield, Director of Global Sales at Intrepid Control Systems, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
In a recent interview with Christine Harbort, Hatfield broke down why these legacy systems remain vital for modern and future vehicle architectures.
Money Talks: The Economics of Vehicle Networks
While automotive Ethernet dominates discussions around high-speed data and streaming video, Hatfield highlights a simple universal truth in automotive engineering: money talks.
When OEMs update a vehicle’s architecture, completely rewriting the hardware and upgrading every single Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is cost-prohibitive. Instead, manufacturers utilize hybrid architectures. A modern vehicle might feature an Ethernet loop linking major domain aggregators or switches, but rely strictly on CAN FD to connect individual local zones. In fact, Hatfield revealed that at least one major OEM is still actively designing a modern vehicle that relies entirely on classical CAN to keep hardware costs down. If a simple sensor or feature doesn’t require massive bandwidth, keeping it on CAN saves millions in development and manufacturing.
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Breaking the Limitations of Classical CAN
To understand why CAN FD is the perfect bridge between classical systems and Ethernet, Hatfield outlined the restrictions of original CAN, which debuted back in the early 1980s:
- Payload Constraints: Classical CAN tops out at a strict 1 megabit per second (Mbps) speed and a mere 8-byte payload.
- High Overhead: Nearly half of a classical CAN frame consists of housekeeping data, making it highly inefficient for complex systems.
- Security Deficiencies: Original CAN was never designed with security in mind. Modern cybersecurity protocols require Message Authentication Codes (MACs) that can easily span 24 to 36 bytes—leaving zero room for actual vehicle data in a traditional 8-byte frame.
- Weight and Cost: Scaling classical CAN meant adding more physical wiring buses. More copper means more weight, which directly harms fuel and battery economy.
How CAN FD Bridges the Gap
CAN FD directly solves these vulnerabilities at both the physical and data link layers without forcing automakers to completely redesign their physical wiring infrastructure. By upgrading the internal electronics, CAN FD delivers:
- Massive Payload Expansion: A jump from 8 bytes to 64 bytes per frame.
- Room for Security: The expanded payload easily accommodates modern encryption and authentication codes while leaving plenty of space for sensor data.
- Cost-Effective Speed: It enables faster data transmission over the exact same copper wiring networks already optimized by production lines for decades.
While 64 bytes is still too small for heavy applications like streaming vehicle cameras—which absolutely require automotive Ethernet—CAN FD provides the ultimate, cost-conscious middle ground for core vehicle functionalities.
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Intrepid Control Systems offers free in-person and online training —covering Vehicle Spy Basics, CAN/CAN FD, Automotive Ethernet, Data Logging, and more. Each session is taught by experienced engineers who can answer your real use-case questions and help you refine your approach.
Explore upcoming classes at intrepidcs.com and level up your engineering toolkit.
Intrepid Control Systems is helping engineers prepare for this future through its global training programs—available virtually or on‑site at its Troy, Michigan headquarters.
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