WHAT IS "CAN-Bus"?

(1) CAN- Controller Area Network (bus) A rugged, digital serial bus designed for industrial environments. Introduced by Bosch in the mid-1980s for in-vehicle communications, it is used in a myriad applications including factory automation, building automation, aircraft and aerospace as well as in cars, trucks and buses. CAN bus replaced bulky wiring harnesses with a two-wire differential cable - (the two wires carry inverted voltages to decrease interference).

(1) BUS- A collection of wires through which data is transmitted from one part of a computer to another. You can think of a bus as a highway on which data travels within a computer. 

Why are CAN Bus systems used?

The reasons for the vehicle manufacturers using CAN Bus are:- (a) Significant reduction in wiring leading to:- (i) Significant reduction in manufacturing cost and hence retail cost. (ii) Reduction in weight resulting in improved fuel consumption. (b) Reduced number of interconnections hence improving reliability.