Developing an SAE J1939 application has traditionally required a substantial investment—not only in hardware and engineering time, but also in software. Commercial SAE J1939 protocol stacks are often expensive, frequently licensed per device, and in many cases remain closed-source. For students, hobbyists, researchers, startups, and even experienced engineers who simply…
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Posts tagged as “J1939 Development for Embedded Systems”
Choosing the Right Hardware for Embedded SAE J1939 Development
By Wilfried Voss on July 6, 2026
One of the first questions engineers ask when starting with SAE J1939 development is: “Which hardware platform should I use?” The good news is that there is no shortage of choices. Over the years I have worked with numerous embedded platforms, development environments, and operating systems. They all have their…
Understanding J1939 PGNs Without Getting Lost in the Standard
By Wilfried Voss on July 1, 2026
In this post, I would like to address what is arguably the most important concept in the SAE J1939 standard: the Parameter Group Number (PGN). PGNs are the heart and soul of J1939. Every application you design, whether it transmits engine speed, requests a VIN, or reports diagnostic information, revolves…



