Glossary comparison
CAN FD vs FlexRay: what is the difference?
The difference
FlexRay is a separate time-triggered automotive bus designed for deterministic timing. CAN FD remains event-driven, with access decided by arbitration on message priority.
CAN FD is event-driven, with access decided by message priority, and reaches higher data rates only in the data phase. FlexRay is time-triggered, with every static frame scheduled in advance.
The two terms
CAN FD
An extension of CAN that keeps arbitration at classic speed but switches to a higher bit rate for the data phase and raises the payload from 8 to 64 bytes, increasing throughput without re-wiring the vehicle.
FlexRay
A deterministic, optionally dual-channel automotive bus running at 10 Mbit/s with a time-triggered schedule, developed for x-by-wire and high-end chassis control where guaranteed latency and redundancy are required.
Side by side
| Field | CAN FD | FlexRay |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | CAN with Flexible Data-rate | Not an abbreviation |
| Type | Acronym | Interface |
| Domain | Automotive | Automotive |
| Group | In-vehicle networking | In-vehicle networking |