--- title: "Scaling Your CAN Test Bench: What Kvaser's PCI Interface Family Does for Modular Vehicle Controls Development" description: How Kvaser's PCIcanx PCI/PCI-X CAN interface family lets controls teams scale modular CAN test benches for vehicle development, with EMB Power. --- [Skip to content](https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development#main-content) ![EMB\_Power\_Logo](https://blog.emb-power.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EMB_POWER_logo-16x9-tp-1.png?width=250&height=140&name=EMB_POWER_logo-16x9-tp-1.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](https://www.emb-power.com/contact-us) [Contact us](https://www.emb-power.com/contact-us) Nov 6, 2026, 9:26:22 AM # Scaling Your CAN Test Bench: What Kvaser's PCI Interface Family Does for Modular Vehicle Controls Development [EMB Power Team](https://blog.emb-power.com/author/emb-power-team) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.emb-power.com/scaling-your-can-test-bench-what-kvasers-pci-interface-family-does-for-modular-vehicle-controls-development) A modular vehicle control architecture is only as easy to develop as the test bench behind it — and a bench that can't add CAN channels without a hardware rebuild becomes the bottleneck. At **EMB Power**, New Eagle's exclusive UK and EU partner for the Raptor and OpenECU toolchain, we build Kvaser's PCI CAN interface family into development rigs precisely because it scales channel-by-channel as a project grows, without disturbing the rest of the setup. ## Why Modular Architectures Need a Scalable CAN Bench Splitting a vehicle's control logic across multiple ECUs only pays off if the development environment can keep up. Each new subsystem — powertrain, battery management, body control, driver interaction — typically needs its own CAN presence on the bench during integration and validation, and re-architecting the test rig every time a module is added quickly eats into a project's schedule. - **Distributed intelligence:** with control logic spread across several ECUs, engineers need to bring channels online (or take them offline) without touching the rest of the network. - **Parallel development:** separate CAN channels let teams develop and debug subsystems independently, rather than queuing for a single shared interface. - **Clean system bring-up:** a scalable interface card means new and legacy components can be integrated onto the bench without rewiring what's already working. ## Inside Kvaser's PCI CAN Interface Family Kvaser's classic PCI/PCI-X interface line gives controls teams a straightforward way to add CAN channels to a development PC or industrial rig, one card at a time. The family spans two capacities depending on how many channels a bench needs in a single slot: | Interface | CAN Channels | Bus Protocol Support | Isolation | Operating Range | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Kvaser PCIcanx HS | 1 | CAN 2.0 A/B (active) | Galvanic | -40°C to +85°C | | Kvaser PCIcanx 4xHS | 4 | CAN 2.0 A/B (active) | Galvanic | -40°C to +85°C | Specifications per Kvaser's published datasheets.1 Both cards fit standard 3.3V/5V PCI and 3.3V PCI-X slots rather than PCIe — if a project needs CAN FD on a multi-channel card, that calls for Kvaser's separate PCIe-generation interfaces (which EMB Power also supplies); talk to us about which family fits a given bench. ## Built for the Bench: Isolation and Environmental Rating Both cards isolate the CAN driver from the CAN controller, which matters whenever a bench is running several subsystems simultaneously — it protects against voltage transients and ground loops between channels rather than letting a fault on one subsystem propagate into another. The -40°C to +85°C rating also means the same hardware can move between a climate-controlled lab and an environmental test chamber without a different interface for each. ## Software Integration: CANlib and the Raptor-Dev Workflow Every card in the family runs on Kvaser's CANlib SDK, which keeps the development workflow consistent across projects: - **Broad language support:** CANlib ships with support for C/C++ (Microsoft Visual C/C++, Embarcadero C++ Builder, gcc/MinGW), C#/.NET, Visual Basic/VB.NET and Delphi, plus a community-maintained Python wrapper for teams scripting diagnostics or test automation in Python. - **Linux and Windows:** CANlib supports Windows natively and Linux through a separate driver and SDK, so the same card works whether a bench runs a Windows development PC or a Linux-based test controller. - **MATLAB/Simulink via Raptor-Dev:** engineers using Raptor-Dev can configure CAN channels as blocks in the same Simulink model driving the rest of the controls project, rather than hand-coding a separate interface layer. ## A Practical Path to a Scalable Bench EMB Power typically walks a project through the same sequence when specifying a modular CAN bench: 1. **Map the network:** list every subsystem that will need CAN access during development, and at what channel count. 2. **Size the card:** a PCIcanx HS covers a single-channel need; a PCIcanx 4xHS covers up to four from one slot, and multiple cards can sit in the same PC for larger rigs. 3. **Pair with the right Raptor module:** for example, the **Raptor RCM112** provides up to five CAN FD channels alongside LIN and Ethernet, for projects that need that much network capacity on the vehicle side.2 4. **Install and configure:** fit the card, install Kvaser's drivers, and link each channel to the relevant ECU and harness. 5. **Develop in Raptor-Dev:** build and iterate control logic in Simulink, using CANlib underneath for channel access, diagnostics and logging. 6. **Scale as needed:** add another card when a new subsystem joins the project, without re-wiring or re-architecting what's already running. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need a CAN FD-capable interface for bench work with Raptor ECUs?** Only if the ECU itself is communicating over CAN FD and the test needs to exercise that. The PCIcanx HS and 4xHS cover classic CAN 2.0 A/B work; for CAN FD on a multi-channel PCI-class card, EMB Power can recommend the right Kvaser PCIe-generation interface instead. **Can I run a PCIcanx HS and a PCIcanx 4xHS in the same development PC?** Yes — CANlib presents every installed Kvaser card through the same API, so a bench can mix card types as its channel requirements grow. **What does EMB Power add beyond supplying the hardware?** Specification advice on card and channel count, installation and driver configuration support, and integration guidance for pairing the interface with the right Raptor control module for the application. 1 Per Kvaser's published PCIcanx HS and PCIcanx 4xHS datasheets. 2 Per EMB Power's current product listing as of November 2026; confirm current specification and lead times with EMB Power before finalising a design. ## Why Partner With EMB Power Choosing the right CAN interface is a small decision with a large effect on how smoothly a controls project scales. As New Eagle's exclusive UK and EU partner for the Raptor and OpenECU toolchain, EMB Power supplies Kvaser's full PCI and PCIe CAN interface range alongside Raptor control modules, and provides the engineering support to specify, wire and configure a bench that grows with the project rather than against it. If you're planning a modular CAN test bench or vehicle control architecture, [get in touch with EMB Power](https://www.emb-power.com/contact) for current pricing and a tailored recommendation. 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