SCALABLE VIRTUALIZED CONTROLLER AREA NETWORK SYSTEM

A virtualized controller area network (CAN) system including multiple virtual CAN controllers and a CAN virtual network controller. The CAN virtual network controller includes virtual CAN interfaces, network interfaces, and a configuration controller. Each of the virtual CAN interfaces communicatively links each virtual CAN controller with the network interfaces, which are each configured to communicatively link one or more of virtual CAN controllers into a CAN network. The configuration controller programs any one or more of the network interfaces to communicatively link any one or more of the virtual CAN controllers in each of one or more CAN networks. The configuration controller configures a network interface for virtual communications for implementing a virtual CAN network, or enables a linked physical protocol engine for implementing a physical CAN network. The number of protocol engines needed, if any, may be significantly reduced thereby reducing pin count and silicon area consumption.