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CAN Basics: Learn the Protocol + Free Handbook Included
Highest Rated
Rating: 4.5 out of 5(47 ratings)
323 students

CAN Basics: Learn the Protocol + Free Handbook Included

A clear and simple introduction to CAN, developed in the classroom, helping you get started quickly and effectively.
Highest Rated
Created byVehicle Testing Solutions
Last updated 9/2025
English
English

What you'll learn

  • Understand what CAN is and where it's used.
  • Identify the main components in a CAN network.
  • Understand the structure of CAN frame.
  • Understand how nodes communicate on the CAN Bus.
  • Types of CAN, error handling and CAN interface hardware.

Course content

1 section • 8 lectures • 41m total length

  • Your CAN Bus Instructor – Background, Experience, and Goals0:44

    Discover the history, how the CAN protocol works, and its automotive significance, guided by a veteran engineer and trainer, with a free PDF handbook for CAN basics.

  • Part 1 - An introduction to CAN4:14

    Trace the history of CAN, its message-based network, node hierarchy and bus speeds, plus CAN FD, differential bus, EMI/EMF, and ISO 11898-1:2024.

  • Part 1 - History, Principles, Applications and ISO
  • Part 2 - The Physicals of CAN4:12

    Explore the CAN physical layer, the bus and twisted pair, and how the transceiver, controller, and microcontroller assemble into frames with arbitration, error detection, and multiplexing.

  • Part 2 - Physical Layers and OSI Model
  • Part 3 - The critical role of Termination3:49

    Learn how CAN cabling termination prevents reflections with 120 ohm end resistors or split termination, manage stub length, and understand CAN speeds and alternatives like LIN.

  • Part 3 - Termination Resistance & Bus Speed
  • Part 4 - Anatomy of a CAN frame7:38

    Dissect the 11 parts of a CAN frame, from start of frame to inter frame space, and understand how the data exchange, arbitration, and error checks work.

  • Part 4 - Anatomy of a CAN Frame
  • Part 5 - CAN logic, CAN arbitration and bit stuffing5:10

    Explore CAN logic, arbitration, and bit stuffing, including dominant vs recessive signaling, differential signaling, noise resistance, and how 11-bit IDs win frames through bit-by-bit arbitration and stuffing.

  • Part 5 - CAN Logic, Arbitration, and Bit Stuffing
  • Part 6 - CAN Errors5:54

    Explore how CAN errors detect problems and isolate faulty nodes through retransmission, and learn the five error types—bit, stuff, CRC, form, and acknowledgment.

  • Part 6 - CAN Errors
  • Part 7 - CAN FD, Interface hardware and common connectors10:02

    Learn the essentials of CAN FD, interface hardware, and common connectors, including data rate switching, up to five megabits per second, 64-byte frames, CRC enhancements, and backwards compatibility.

  • Part 7 - CAN FD, Interface hardware and Common Connectors

Requirements

  • Basic electrical knowledge (relationship between voltage, current and resistance).
  • No prior automotive experience needed.

Description

This is your definitive introduction to the Controller Area Network (CAN), the essential communication protocol found in everything from cars to cutting-edge medical devices. As the standard for reliable data transfer in the automotive, aviation, marine, and industrial automation fields, a strong foundational knowledge is more valuable than ever. If you're an engineer, technician, or just new to the field, this is the only basics course you need to build that understanding from the ground up.

We've stripped away any unnecessary complexity, breaking everything down into seven clear, bite-sized video lessons. Each part builds logically on the last, creating a simple, step-by-step path for you to master the core theory of how CAN works.


  • Part 1 - Introduces the history of CAN, its underlying principles, real-world applications, and the relevant ISO standards that govern its implementation.

  • Part 2 - Covers the physical layer, including wiring structures, node architecture, and how the OSI 7-layer model applies to CAN systems.

  • Part 3 - Dives into the importance of termination resistance and examines how CAN bus speeds affect performance.

  • Part 4 - Details the anatomy of a CAN frame, breaking down its components for clearer understanding.

  • Part 5 - Explores CAN logic, including message arbitration and bit stuffing techniques used to maintain data integrity.

  • Part 6 - Focuses on error detection, handling mechanisms, and network reliability.

  • Part 7 - Introduces CAN FD (Flexible Data-rate), explains common connector types, and overviews the hardware interfaces used to interact with CAN networks.

This course is designed to give you a complete theoretical mastery of CAN basics. By focusing purely on the 'how' and the 'why,' we provide the essential knowledge needed to understand technical documentation, follow engineering discussions, and build a solid mental framework of the entire system. You will finish with the confidence to explain exactly how CAN messages are built, prioritized, and kept reliable, providing the perfect foundation for future hands-on training or more advanced studies.

Who this course is for:

  • Engineering Students and Graduates.
  • Embedded Systems Engineers.
  • Automotive Technicians.

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