My project is about designing and testing a CAN Bus communication module based on the MCP2515 CAN controller (Microchip) and the TJA1050 CAN transceiver (NXP).

I decided to make this project because Controller Area Network (CAN Bus) is one of the most important communication standards in automotive, industrial automation, and robotics. Many microcontrollers (like ATmega328P, ESP32, or STM32 without integrated CAN) need an external controller to access the CAN Bus. That’s where the MCP2515 comes in — it handles the CAN protocol via SPI interface. The TJA1050 then converts the logic signals into the differential CAN_H and CAN_L lines that can be transmitted across the bus reliably, even in noisy environments.

 How it Works

MCP2515 (Microchip Datasheet DS20001801J)

Stand-alone CAN controller with SPI interface.

Supports CAN 2.0B at up to 1 Mb/s.

Has 2 acceptance masks and 6 filters for message handling.

Operates at 2.7V – 5.5V with industrial temperature range (−40 °C to +85 °C).

TJA1050 (NXP Datasheet Rev. 3)

High-speed CAN transceiver compliant with ISO 11898.

Converts MCP2515 logic signals (TXD, RXD) into differential bus signals (CANH, CANL).

Supports up to 1 Mb/s, optimized for automotive EMC requirements.

Features fail-safe protection and low power standby.

Together, these two chips form a complete CAN interface for any microcontroller that has an SPI port. For example, an Arduino Uno can send and receive CAN messages using this module, which makes it ideal for prototyping automotive ECUs, electric vehicle projects, and industrial controllers.