The industry’s first external CAN Flexible Data Rate (CAN FD) controller is now available from Microchip Technology Inc. The MCP2517FD allows designers a simplified path to upgrade from CAN 2.0 to CAN FD and benefit from CAN FD protocol enhancements.

CAN FD offers many benefits over traditional CAN 2.0 including faster data rates and data byte message expansion.The cutting-edge MCP2517FD CAN FD controller can be used with any microcontroller (MCU), enabling developers to easily implement this technology without a complete system redesign.Since the adoption and transition to CAN FD is in the beginning stages, there are a limited number of CAN FD MCUs available today.  In addition, changing a system MCU can come with a significant cost, increased development time and risk. MCP2517FD allows system designers to enable CAN FD functionality by adding only one external component while continuing to utilise the majority of their design.

The MCP2517FD also allows designers to easily add additional CAN FD channels, on top of those that may be available on an MCU.

“The CAN 2.0 to CAN FD transition has begun and many automotive and non-automotive designs will benefit from the CAN FD protocol enhancements,” said Rich Simoncic, vice president of Microchip’s Analog, Power and Interface division. “Designers have very few choices when picking CAN FD-capable MCUs that are a good fit for their application. The MCP2517FD external CAN FD controller is a viable MCU alternative that helps designers maximise hardware and firmware reuse and minimise the cost and complexity of a redesign.”

For more information about MCP2517FD, visit: www.microchip.com/MCP2517FD