The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol is a de facto network standard for automotive applications. Since initial deployments in the late 1980s the simple low-cost bus topology and inherent flexibility of CAN have enabled it to capture the majority of low- to medium- speed networking traffic. Today most automotive engine control units (ECU) have some form of connection to a CAN network, and most automotive-centric semiconductors have at least one integrated CAN controller. However, as safety-related applications emerge, some of the advantageous attributes and features of the CAN protocol can lead to dependability vulnerabilities. This paper reviews the dependability of CAN and introduces a new enforcement and configuration strategy to augment CAN protocol dependability. The strategy enables standard COTS CAN node hardware to be used without modification. We further introduce new message agreement and validation strategies that can assist signal qualification within a distributed application context.