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Why CAN Bus Is One of the Most Reliable Communication Systems Ever Created
When engineers design communication systems for vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural equipment, marine electronics, and embedded control systems, reliability is often more important than raw speed. A lost message in a music streaming application may go unnoticed. A lost message containing engine speed, brake status, steering angle, or hydraulic pressure can lead to equipment malfunction, downtime, or [...]
Why the Teensy 4.1 Triple CAN-Bus Board with Ethernet Makes an Excellent CAN Data Logger
Modern vehicles, industrial machines, marine systems, and agricultural equipment generate enormous amounts of CAN bus traffic. Capturing, storing, and analyzing this data is essential for diagnostics, performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, fleet management, and product development. While there are many commercial CAN data loggers available, they often suffer from one or more limitations: High cost Limited customization Proprietary software Restricted storage [...]
ESP32-S3 vs. Raspberry Pi + PiCAN: Which Platform Is Better for Cloud-Connected CAN Bus Applications?
The growing popularity of Industrial IoT, fleet management, predictive maintenance, and cloud-based monitoring has created a demand for embedded systems that can bridge CAN networks with modern software platforms. Two popular approaches dominate the market: An ESP32-S3 embedded system with integrated CAN connectivity A Raspberry Pi combined with a PiCAN interface board Both platforms can transmit CAN data to [...]
Programming PiCAN Boards with Python: A Practical Guide for Raspberry Pi CAN Applications
The Raspberry Pi has become one of the most popular platforms for developing CAN bus applications. Whether you are working with industrial equipment, agricultural machinery, marine electronics, automotive systems, or SAE J1939 networks, combining a Raspberry Pi with a PiCAN board provides a powerful and cost-effective development platform. One of the biggest advantages of this setup [...]
CAN, SAE J1939, and NMEA 2000 Development with Raspberry Pi and PiCAN HATs
The Raspberry Pi has evolved far beyond its origins as an educational computer. Today, it serves as a powerful platform for industrial automation, vehicle networking, marine electronics, telematics, data logging, and rapid embedded systems prototyping. When combined with the PiCAN family of Raspberry Pi HATs available from Copperhill Technologies, the Raspberry Pi becomes a versatile CAN [...]
ESP32 TWAI Driver Explained: A Practical Guide to CAN Bus Programming
The ESP32 has become one of the most popular microcontrollers for CAN bus applications. Whether you are building industrial controllers, SAE J1939 devices, NMEA 2000 products, robotics systems, or automotive prototypes, the ESP32 provides a powerful and cost-effective platform with a built-in CAN controller. Yet, many developers are confused when they encounter the term TWAI in [...]
ESP32S3 CAN & LIN-Bus Board – Accelerating CAN-to-LIN Gateway Development
Modern vehicles and industrial machines increasingly rely on multiple communication networks. While CAN Bus serves as the backbone for critical control systems, LIN (Local Interconnect Network) provides a low-cost solution for intelligent sensors, switches, actuators, and body electronics. In many applications, engineers need a reliable method to exchange data between these two networks. The ESP32S3 CAN [...]
Why CAN Bus Refuses to Die: What CAN FD and CAN XL Reveal About the Strength of Classical CAN
For more than 25 years, I have been working with CAN (Controller Area Network) technology. During that time, I have lost count of how many times industry experts, analysts, and technology journalists predicted its imminent demise. First, it was Ethernet. Then came FlexRay. Later, it was Automotive Ethernet. More recently, CAN FD and now CAN XL have been presented [...]
CANPico V2 with Pico WH Pre-Installed: Powerful CAN Bus Development in an Ultra-Compact Form Factor
When developing CAN Bus applications, engineers often face a familiar challenge: balancing processing power, development speed, hardware complexity, and physical size. The CANPico V2 with Raspberry Pi Pico WH pre-installed solves all four challenges in a remarkably compact package. Combining the powerful Raspberry Pi Pico WH with a sophisticated CAN interface, the CANPico V2 provides an [...]
LIN Bus Development Made Easy: Integrating Automotive LIN Networks with Any UART-Based Embedded System
Modern automobiles contain dozens of electronic control units (ECUs) that communicate with each other to manage everything from engine performance to seat adjustments. While high-speed networks such as CAN Bus handle critical vehicle functions, many automotive subsystems rely on a simpler and less expensive communication technology: the Local Interconnect Network, better known as LIN Bus. For [...]