Kvaser’s February 2026 Software Release

February 2026’s update is one of our most feature-packed updates yet. With our first extension for CanKing, our free CAN bus monitor and general-purpose diagnostic tool gains new visualization capacities that make interpreting CAN traffic faster and more intuitive. This release also debuts our first software packages for the Arcus platform, expands protocol coverage, and adds new LIN‑related functionality in both CanKing and the CANlib SDK, bringing more power and precision to developers across the Kvaser ecosystem.

Highlights include:

Kvaser CanKing 7.4.0
We’ve launched the first extension package for CanKing, a real‑time signal plot feature that is available as a separate download. This extension provides a workspace for plotting signal values over time and offers strong performance for quick, lightweight visualization tasks.

As per our drivers for Windows and Linux (see below), LIN message logging and replay are now supported when using MDF4.x files. The MDF4.x parser has been enhanced to recognise LIN data frames, enabling the Message Logger and Message Replay nodes to handle LIN alongside CAN.

In addition, the Windows installer now checks the installed driver version; Kvaser Drivers 5.39 or later are required to run CanKing.

Kvaser Arcus Software Packages (Windows & Linux 0.1.1)
Kvaser’s first software release for the Kvaser Arcus platform introduces Windows and Linux packages that provide API and CLI access, with the Windows edition also offering a lightweight GUI for configuring device parameters. This initial version focuses on essential functionality: users can get and set device names, read serial configuration, query device information, and perform core T1 Ethernet operations including setting link parameters, bitrate, operation mode (leader/follower), and auto‑negotiation.

Kvaser CANlib SDK: KvJ1939lib and KvDPDUlib
Kvaser is introducing two new libraries to simplify basic use of J1939 and D‑PDU. KvJ1939lib provides fundamental communication capabilities (send/receive, TP, address claim) for those working with SAE J1939, while KvDPDUlib enables Kvaser hardware to interface with D‑PDU–based diagnostic software. Support for using the D‑PDU API with raw CAN also means that existing D‑PDU applications can now access raw CAN directly through Kvaser interfaces. Together, these libraries give developers straightforward building blocks for creating more capable and better‑integrated solutions.

Kvaser Drivers for Windows & Linux
Kvaser has improved USB suspend behaviour across its drivers, with certification now confirmed for both AMD64 and ARM systems. Devices now enter a low‑power suspend state after five seconds of inactivity, reducing energy use and heat output in setups where interfaces remain connected for long periods. As soon as communication restarts, the device wakes instantly while retaining its channel numbering, since the driver remains loaded throughout. Older firmware remains fully compatible, continuing to operate without suspend support, and both Windows 10 and Windows 11 apply the updated suspend behaviour.

The latest update also adds proper support for writing and reading LIN frames to and from MDF4.x and KME60 files when using the KVLC layer. By preserving LIN frames natively in industry‑standard file formats, customers can now correlate LIN activity with CAN traffic more effectively, capturing a truer picture of network behaviour.

Visit the Kvaser Downloads page for more information.