The FlexRay Communication Protocol and Some Implications for Future Applications

FlexRay is a communications protocol intended, among other things, to support safety-relevant applications. The FlexRay protocol has several characteristics that make it well suited for such applications, but it also has some fundamental differences from other protocols that will likely influence the way FlexRay is used in a system. This paper presents a brief overview of FlexRay, identifying some of the benefits of the protocol, but also pointing out some things system designers should keep in mind when using FlexRay. Where appropriate, FlexRay will be compared with other communications protocols such as CAN to point out differences that will affect the way FlexRay systems are designed.