A Comprehensive Review of CAN Bus and IEEE 802.11b Networks: Evolution, Performance, and Wireless Extensions

The Controller Area Network (CAN) bus has been a cornerstone in vehicular communication, facilitating robust and efficient data exchange among electronic control units (ECUs). This paper provides a comprehensive review of the classical CAN bus, CAN FD, and their key attributes, including message prioritization, arbitration mechanisms, and error detection. Additionally, the paper explores the IEEE 802.11b wireless standard, emphasizing its potential for extending CAN-based networks into wireless domains. The study categorizes existing literature into wired and wireless CAN applications, highlighting advancements, challenges, and limitations in both areas. A critical gap identified in current research is the lack of performance assessment of ECUs, particularly in autonomous vehicle (AV) applications. Moreover, most wireless implementations of CAN rely on Bluetooth, Zigbee, or IEEE 802.11b, which are constrained by limited data rates and scalability. This review outlines the necessity for more integrated, high-performance wireless CAN solutions to enhance vehicular network efficiency, particularly in AV environments.