This part of ISO 11898 specifies the characteristics of setting up an interchange of digital information between modules implementing the CAN data link layer. Controller area network is a serial communication protocol, which supports distributed real-time control and multiplexing for use within road vehicles and other control applications.This part of ISO 11898 specifies the Classical CAN frame format and the newly introduced CAN Flexible Data Rate Frame format. The Classical CAN frame format allows bit rates up to 1 Mbit/s and payloads up to 8 byte per frame. The Flexible Data Rate frame format allows bit rates higher than 1 Mbit/s and payloads longer than 8 byte per frame.This part of ISO 11898 describes the general architecture of CAN in terms of hierarchical layers according to the ISO reference model for open systems interconnection (OSI) according to ISO/IEC 7498-1. The CAN data link layer is specified according to ISO/IEC 8802-2 and ISO/IEC 8802-3.This part of ISO 11898 contains detailed specifications of the following (see Figure 2):— logical link control sub-layer;— medium access control sub-layer;— physical coding sub-layer.There are three implementation options. They are the following:— support of the Classical CAN frame format only, not tolerating the Flexible Data Rate frame format;— support of the Classical CAN frame format and tolerating the Flexible Data Rate frame format;— support of the Classical CAN frame format and the Flexible Data Rate frame format.The last option is recommended to be implemented for new designs.