In an age when vehicles are less about purely mechanical linkages and increasingly about interconnected electronics and networks, the book Automotive CAN Bus and In-Vehicle Networks arrives at exactly the right moment. Graham Stoakes presents what he calls “the digital nervous system of modern vehicles” — and for technicians, students, and enthusiasts alike, this translates into a vital guide to making sense of what’s often hidden behind the dashboards and connectors.

What the book covers

The book is relatively compact (176 pages) but packs in coverage of how vehicle networks are laid out, how they operate, and—critically—how to test and troubleshoot them. It is aimed at those working in automotive repair, training or study.

Key features include:

• Clear explanations of how networks like the CAN bus (Controller Area Network) function within vehicles — how sensors, ECUs (electronic control units), actuators and modules communicate.

• Practical advice on fault-finding and diagnosis in the networked vehicle environment — a shift away from “lots of wires everywhere” to “fewer wires but far more complexity.”

• Step-by-step guidance using tools and equipment that many independent workshops can access (rather than manufacturer-only systems).

• Troubleshooting examples to build confidence in dealing with network-related issues along with wiring/hardware faults.

Why this book matters

Modern vehicles have evolved dramatically: engine, transmission, safety, infotainment, lighting systems all rely heavily on electronic control and networked modules. As the book puts it: while networking reduces the amount of raw wiring, it increases diagnostic complexity — especially for independent garages outside OEM ecosystems.

Having a network-specific guide means:

• Technicians can better visualise how modules “talk” to each other across the CAN bus, gateways and subnetworks.

• Problem diagnosis becomes more about network health (signal integrity, fault arbitration, message frames) rather than merely replacing suspected modules.

• Students and trainees can build foundational knowledge of communications and protocols, helping them bridge electrical/mechanical backgrounds into today’s vehicle electronics world.

• Enthusiasts and those working in aftermarket/retrofit scenarios can get up to speed on network architecture, enabling smarter modifications or integrations.

Who this book is for

• Automotive repair professionals or independent workshops wanting to expand into electronic diagnosis.

• Training instructors and students in automotive engineering or vehicle electronics modules.

• Enthusiasts with wiring/diagnostic experience who want to understand the “why and how” of in-vehicle networks.

• Anyone with interest in the technical workings of modern cars beyond the mechanical — especially as vehicles become more software- and network-centric.

If you’re a complete beginner with little wiring or electronics knowledge, you may find parts of the network/communication discussion a bit challenging — but the accessible language and practical focus mean this book is a good stepping stone.

The strengths & caveats

Strengths

• Clear real-world orientation. The book doesn’t stay purely theoretical — it addresses how modules are wired, how technicians can test networks, how real faults manifest.

• A modern topic that’s increasingly critical as vehicles evolve: knowing CAN and in-vehicle networks is becoming integral.

• Good size: at 176 pages it’s concise enough to read relatively quickly, but deep enough to be meaningful.

Caveats

• As with any network diagnostic guide, equipment matters: while the book emphasizes accessible tools, some diagnostics may still require specialised scanners or scopes.

• Because technology evolves fast (especially with EVs, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), automotive Ethernet, etc.), this book should be seen as a strong foundation, but one part of a larger continuing learning journey.

• If you’re looking for very advanced protocol detail (e.g., low-level bit timing, custom OEM message decoding, cybersecurity of in-vehicle networks), you may need supplementary texts.

How to use it

If I were integrating this into workshop training or myself brushing up on vehicle networks, I’d approach like this:

1. Read the first few chapters to get the network architecture concepts in mind (how CAN bus works in vehicle settings, termination, wiring, modules).

2. Use a real vehicle (or lab setup) and attempt to trace a network: find the CAN wiring, identify ECUs on the bus, observe traffic if possible with an adapter.

3. Use the troubleshooting chapters to diagnose a known fault (e.g., a module not communicating, or intermittent network error) and compare what the book recommends with what you observe.

4. Document your findings: wiring diagrams, fault logs, traffic captures. This not only reinforces learning but builds real workshop reference material.

5. Keep the book as a reference: whenever a vehicle comes in with a network-related issue, flip to the relevant section. Over time the “network mindset” (modules talking to each other) becomes as natural as “engine cylinder went misfire”.

Final thoughts

In a nutshell: Automotive CAN Bus and In-Vehicle Networks is a timely and practical guide that addresses a critical area of modern vehicle engineering — the “how modules talk” layer behind the scenes. For anyone working in vehicle diagnostics, repair or electronics, it represents a worthwhile investment in understanding and adapting to the networked vehicle era. As cars continue to evolve into complex distributed networks, being able to diagnose and service those networks is becoming a core skill — and this book helps build exactly that. More information...

ESP32S3 Board with CAN FD and Classical CAN Ports

The board is built around the ESP32-S3‑WROOM‑1‑N8R8 module, giving it Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 (including LE and mesh) and a dual-core Xtensa® 32-bit LX7 processor up to 240 MHz. It also packs 8 MB of quad-SPI flash and 8 MB of PSRAM, making it capable of fairly heavy embedded workloads. On the connectivity side, this board supports classical CAN (Controller Area Network) via the ESP32-S3’s built-in CAN controller, and extends to CAN FD (Flexible Data-rate) using an external MCP2518FD SPI-based controller plus high-speed CAN transceivers. The board is powered by a 7 V–24 V input through an onboard SMPS with reverse-polarity protection, features a USB-C connector for power and native USB OTG programming/debugging, and includes convenient extras like boot/reset buttons, an I²C expansion port, and an RGB LED for status indication.

From an application standpoint, the board is tailored for scenarios where robust in-vehicle or industrial networking meets wireless/edge processing. Because it supports both classical CAN and CAN FD, it is well-suited for bridging legacy CAN networks with next-generation high-bandwidth CAN FD systems — for instance, automotive diagnostics, industrial automation gateways, or IoT devices that aggregate sensor data via CAN and then upload it wirelessly via Wi-Fi or BLE. The native USB support simplifies programming and debugging compared to boards that require a separate USB-UART chip. In short, it presents a flexible platform for embedded engineers working at the intersection of networked control buses and wireless edge intelligence. More information...