Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced what it describes as the ‘first commercially available’ CAN XL transceiver, targeting industrial systems where increasing data volumes are placing greater demands on established communication architectures.
The TCAN6062 extends the capabilities of Controller Area Network (CAN) with payloads of up to 2,048 bytes per frame and data rates of up to 20Mbps. The device is intended for applications including humanoid and industrial robotics, as well as human-machine interface (HMI) systems, where deterministic communication is required for motion control, sensor feedback and diagnostics.
CAN XL is designed to increase network bandwidth while retaining the established characteristics of CAN-based communications. The TCAN6062 also supports CAN flexible data rate (CAN FD) and CAN signal improvement capability (SIC), allowing existing systems to transition towards CAN XL without requiring a complete network redesign.
TI says the transceiver can also support mixed-network architectures in which Ethernet is used through Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) tunnelling. This allows diagnostics, sensor data, control traffic and over-the-air updates to be transferred through a consolidated communication architecture.
“As industrial systems become more intelligent and interconnected, what we ask of our networks continues to evolve,” said Dwight Byrd, general manager, Interface Products at TI. “Engineers need more data, higher speeds and greater flexibility, all without compromising performance or reliability. TI’s TCAN6062 CAN XL transceiver puts that capability in their hands today, helping them build faster, more capable industrial systems.”
A key feature of the TCAN6062 is its SIC capability, which TI says can reduce ringing by as much as 80% in complex networks. This is intended to simplify validation in systems containing high numbers of network nodes. The transceiver also provides wide input/output voltage compatibility and protection up to ±58V.
The CAN XL specification has been standardised through ISO 11898-2:2024, with TI engineers contributing to the CAN in Automation (CiA) technical group responsible for developing the physical-layer specification.
“CAN has been the backbone of industrial communications for decades,” said Holger Zeltwanger, managing director at CiA. “Texas Instruments’ long-time membership and collaboration with CiA builds on that legacy, helping shape CAN XL by contributing to a standard that will guide the entire industry. Now with the introduction of the first commercially available CAN SIC XL transceiver, CAN XL is accessible to engineers worldwide, reflecting our shared commitment to solving the engineering challenges of today and tomorrow.”
The higher bandwidth also creates opportunities to combine CAN-based control communications with Ethernet connectivity in applications where conventional CAN FD bandwidth can become a constraint.
“CAN XL opens the door to a new era of applications, enabling systems to deliver higher performance at a reasonable cost. CAN XL is the better and cheaper CAN FD, but can also tunnel Ethernet,” said Arthur Mutter, Ph.D., chairman of the CAN XL Special Interest Group at CiA and senior executive, Networking Technologies at Bosch. “With TI now offering a CAN SIC XL transceiver, system designers can leverage CAN XL to exchange data rapidly (up to 20Mbit/s) and reliably in all applications, from industrial and robotics to automotive safety.”
The TCAN6062 forms part of TI’s CAN transceiver portfolio, which also includes CAN FD and CAN SIC devices. Production quantities of the CAN XL transceiver are now available from TI, giving engineers access to production hardware for CAN XL-based designs.
