Comprehensive Survey on CAN, CAN FD, and Automotive Security: Evolution, Challenges, and Future Directions
Sandhya Lagade
The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol has been the backbone of in-vehicle communication systems for over three decades. As modern vehicles evolve into highly connected cyber-physical systems with increased electronic content, advanced driver assistance capabilities, and connectivity features, automotive communication networks face unprecedented challenges related to bandwidth limitations, real-time performance, and cybersecurity threats. This comprehensive survey presents a systematic review of CAN protocol fundamentals, the evolution toward CAN with Flexible Data-Rate (CAN FD), automotive network security vulnerabilities, attack vectors, defense mechanisms, and emerging trends in secure automotive communication. The paper analyzes classical CAN architecture, frame structure, arbitration mechanisms, and error-handling capabilities. It examines CAN FD enhancements including increased payload capacity, dual bit-rate transmission, and backward compatibility considerations. A detailed investigation of automotive cybersecurity threats—including message injection, replay attacks, denial-of-service attacks, ECU spoofing, and remote exploitation—is presented along with cryptographic countermeasures, intrusion detection systems, secure gateways, and authentication protocols. The survey also explores standardization efforts including ISO 11898, SAE J1939, AUTOSAR security specifications, and emerging technologies such as Automotive Ethernet, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), and blockchain-based security frameworks. Critical analysis of over 30 research contributions reveals that while CAN FD addresses bandwidth limitations, comprehensive security solutions require multi-layered defense strategies combining authentication, encryption, anomaly detection, and secure software update mechanisms. Future research directions include lightweight cryptography for resource-constrained ECUs, machine-learning-based intrusion detection, quantum-resistant security protocols, and integration with Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication infrastructure. This survey provides researchers, automotive engineers, and security practitioners with a consolidated understanding of state-of-the-art automotive communication technologies and security methodologies essential for designing next-generation secure connected vehicles.