ATI Accurate Technologies: Enhancing Vehicle Diagnostics with CANLab
Accurate Technologies Inc. (ATI) is a globally recognized leader in automotive development tools, specializing in measurement, calibration, and diagnostics software. They’ve been a long-time partner of ours, providing us with six licenses for their CANLab software. This tool plays a vital role in helping us monitor and debug the Controller Area Network (CAN) system in our car.
What is a Controller Area Network? A Controller Area Network (CAN) is a system that lets all the electronic parts in a car, like the motors, sensors, and lights, communicate with each other over a shared connection. Each part (called a control unit) can send and receive messages, so they work together smoothly without needing a ton of separate wires. This setup makes the car more efficient, easier to manage, and better at handling complex tasks like safety systems and engine control.
CANLab is a comprehensive network analysis tool designed for working with CAN, CAN FD, and LIN bus networks. It offers real-time access to network activity, enabling us to view, send, receive, and analyze data on the CAN bus with precision and ease. One of the first steps in diagnosing any issue on the car is checking CAN communication, and CANLab makes this process significantly more efficient and effective.
The software allows us to instantly view all messages being transmitted on the bus, making it easy to detect errors or identify missing or incorrect signals, thus allowing us to narrow down the source of a problem a lot quicker, no matter if it’s related to a sensor, ECU, or wiring issue. One standout feature is the ability to sort and filter messages by ID, name, or signal content. This means we can easily locate the specific message we’re looking for, saving valuable troubleshooting time.
Beyond monitoring, CANLab gives us the ability to send test messages directly onto the network. We can simulate sensor outputs, unlock gateways, or test how various components respond to specific inputs—all without needing the full car system running. Custom messages can be grouped and sent as sequences, and triggers can be set up to automate testing scenarios.
The Trace window in CANLab offers a flexible and detailed view of bus traffic. Whether in fixed or scrolling mode, we can expand signal values and apply various filters and highlights to refine the display and focus on what matters most during diagnostics.
On the visualization side, CANLab also includes dials, gauges, and strip charts to graphically display signal behavior in real time. These tools give us a clear understanding of how different values are changing, making it easier to spot trends and anomalies. This is especially helpful during test sessions, where quick insights can lead to faster decision-making.
Compatibility is also a major advantage. CANLab supports a wide range of CAN and LIN hardware interfaces and works with industry-standard database and log file formats. This makes it highly versatile and easy to integrate into our existing setup.
ATI’s CANLab is an indispensable tool for our team. It helps us understand what’s happening on the car’s communication network at all times, and it gives us the tools we need to test, debug, and validate our systems effectively. Thanks to ATI, we’re able to approach each stage of our vehicle development process with greater confidence and technical insight.
To learn more about Accurate Technologies Inc., visit https://www.accuratetechnologies.com/.