linux-drivers/
drivers/net/can

SocketCAN CAN and CAN FD controllers and adapters

Linux's collection of drivers for Controller Area Network hardware, the messaging bus used in cars, trucks, factory automation, and embedded control systems since the 1990s. It covers on-chip CAN controllers, SPI parts like Microchip MCP251x, and USB and PCIe adapters from vendors such as PEAK and Kvaser, including newer CAN FD hardware, all exposed through the SocketCAN API.

keep conf=0.95 deploy=high replacement=none subsystem=net category=networking-other
95%

recommendation

It should stay because CAN is still everywhere in 2025 — vendors like PEAK-System and Kvaser actively sell new CAN and CAN FD adapters that rely on these in-tree drivers, and the subsystem saw roughly 230 substantive commits in five years plus brand-new work like a virtio-CAN driver in early 2026. This is a living, growing part of the kernel rather than a legacy backwater.

repository signals

166 files
85,102 source lines
1,171 commits, 5y
+31,511 / −13,671 lines added / removed, 5y
179 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 1,171 total · active in 60/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 8 commits · +18 −15 2021-05: 30 commits · +1,441 −1,239 2021-06: 30 commits · +290 −219 2021-07: 11 commits · +461 −225 2021-08: 30 commits · +608 −345 2021-09: 17 commits · +307 −66 2021-10: 21 commits · +435 −115 2021-11: 24 commits · +362 −59 2021-12: 32 commits · +655 −503 2022-01: 17 commits · +424 −205 2022-02: 7 commits · +27 −23 2022-03: 22 commits · +2,778 −215 2022-04: 12 commits · +42 −84 2022-05: 13 commits · +45 −405 2022-06: 41 commits · +2,509 −713 2022-07: 67 commits · +836 −545 2022-08: 18 commits · +346 −113 2022-09: 32 commits · +435 −1,619 2022-10: 34 commits · +905 −218 2022-11: 18 commits · +463 −151 2022-12: 19 commits · +187 −120 2023-01: 38 commits · +800 −409 2023-02: 10 commits · +193 −129 2023-03: 15 commits · +1,255 −126 2023-04: 13 commits · +193 −131 2023-05: 63 commits · +2,015 −1,206 2023-06: 9 commits · +361 −133 2023-07: 34 commits · +660 −264 2023-08: 8 commits · +30 −43 2023-09: 16 commits · +183 −135 2023-10: 4 commits · +1,403 −3 2023-11: 10 commits · +2,243 −14 2023-12: 6 commits · +227 −18 2024-01: 5 commits · +79 −10 2024-02: 19 commits · +638 −184 2024-03: 4 commits · +11 −5 2024-04: 4 commits · +26 −26 2024-05: 11 commits · +116 −53 2024-06: 19 commits · +218 −151 2024-07: 22 commits · +290 −127 2024-08: 14 commits · +205 −155 2024-09: 18 commits · +57 −75 2024-10: 8 commits · +75 −35 2024-11: 25 commits · +308 −167 2024-12: 6 commits · +131 −167 2025-01: 8 commits · +56 −14 2025-02: 10 commits · +55 −77 2025-03: 5 commits · +52 −29 2025-04: 20 commits · +265 −94 2025-05: 10 commits · +233 −197 2025-06: 14 commits · +215 −127 2025-07: 33 commits · +690 −277 2025-08: 29 commits · +337 −290 2025-09: 36 commits · +1,468 −380 2025-10: 19 commits · +562 −246 2025-11: 27 commits · +1,110 −200 2025-12: 6 commits · +11 −11 2026-01: 17 commits · +148 −63 2026-02: 19 commits · +287 −173 2026-03: 4 commits · +32 −8 2026-04: 0 commits · +0 −0

sources

  1. lore.kernel.org

    April 2026 upstream patch activity touched `drivers/net/can/spi/mcp251x.c`, showing ongoing maintenance of in-tree CAN hardware drivers.

  2. lore.kernel.org

    April 2026 upstream discussion added a new virtio CAN driver, showing the subsystem is still gaining new functionality rather than heading toward removal.

  3. peak-system.com

    PEAK-System was still selling the PCAN-USB FD CAN/CAN-FD USB adapter, indicating new CAN hardware remains commercially available.

  4. kvaser.com

    Kvaser was still selling a PCIe multi-channel CAN/CAN FD interface, indicating ongoing new deployments in test, industrial, and embedded environments.

  5. peak-system.com

    PEAK states its CAN interfaces operate on Linux and that many Linux kernels already include the drivers via the SocketCAN framework.

  6. en.wikipedia.org

    CAN remains a current bus used across automotive and multiple industrial domains, supporting the conclusion that deployments are still widespread.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

`drivers/net/can` is an active driver subsystem, not a legacy orphan: `lore_regex` on patch bodies for `^diff --git a/drivers/net/can/` returned multiple April 2026 fixes plus new virtio-CAN work (first two lore URLs). A separate `lore_regex` subject search for removal/deprecation talk timed out and produced no usable removal evidence; combined with the provided 230 substantive commits in 5y, that argues against deprecation. Web `search_query` produced current vendor product pages (PEAK, Kvaser) and PEAK's Linux/SocketCAN support page, plus Wikipedia for present-day CAN deployment context. Because this directory is the in-tree CAN driver ecosystem itself, there is no single upstream replacement driver.