Advantages of integrating a serial data link controller with CPU [vehicles]

Various integrated circuits have been developed to perform the function of interfacing a microcontroller, or CPU, to the serial data network that ties each controller on a vehicle together. Until now these ICs have generally been stand-alone parts packaged separately from the host microcontroller. The cost and space advantages of combining the logic section (and possibly transceiver section) of a serial data link protocol handler, or serial data link controller, with the CPU core of a host microcontroller are explored. This approach allows the integration of other functions such as relay drivers and power regulators into a single integrated circuit