Newer Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and VW models use the FlexRay bus for EPS racks. MSG Equipment developed dedicated cables to test these racks off the car.
According to MSG Equipment, the latest Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen models use the FlexRay bus instead of classic CAN for communication between the EPS rack and control units. FlexRay was designed to meet higher demands for speed, data volume, real-time performance and reliability.
Because each rack’s control unit has its own code and is uniquely synchronised, a separate cable has to be developed for each rack model. At the time of writing the company had designed seven FlexRay cables, each with its own control unit to synchronise with a specific rack.
This allows fault detection, live data reading, coding, software updates and sensor calibration to be carried out on a rack removed from the car.