Controller area network standard for unmanned ground vehicles hydraulic systems in construction applications

Unmanned vehicles occupy more and more space in the human environment. Mobile robots, being a significant part thereof, generate high technological requirements in order to meet the requirements of the end user. The main focus of the end users both in civil, and so called “defense and security” areas in the broadly defined segments of the construction industry should be on safety and efficiency of unmanned vehicles. It creates some requirements for their drive and control systems being supported among others by vision, communication and navigation systems. It is also important to mention the importance of specific design of manipulators to be used to fulfill the construction tasks. Control technologies are among the critical technologies in the efforts to achieve these requirements. This paper presents test stations for testing control systems and remote control system for work tools in the function of teleoperator using the CAN bus and vehicles which use hydrostatic drive systems based on the Controller Area Network (CAN) standard. The paper examines the potential for using a CAN bus for the control systems of modern unmanned ground vehicles that can be used in construction, and what limitations would possibly prevent their full use. It is exactly crucial for potential users of unmanned vehicles for construction industry applications to know whether their specific requirements basing on the tasks typical in construction [9] may be fulfilled or not when using the CAN bus standard.