In addition to CAN_RAW introduced in Python 3.3, it would be really useful to expose the CAN_BCM protocol. Effectively it hands off as much  to the kernel as possible which gives Python programs the ability to send and receive many periodic messages with little additional jitter or overhead.
I've attached an early stab at a patch to see if there is interest.
I'll be putting more examples of using BCM sockets at https://bitbucket.org/hardbyte/python-socket-examples

Once I've got more complete examples, I can update the patch to include a testcase.

Brian, could you add tests to Lib/test/test_socket.py (look for CANTest, you should be able to complete them).

I've added a single BCM test. Any feedback on it would be good and then I'll add more complex ones.
Should the documentation be updated in this patch as well?

Thanks for the review Charles-François.
I can't make your suggested bcm_msg_fmt work - it was deadlocking on my machine!

I've added (some) docs and added checking of the BCM constants to the test_socket module.
I would guess that checking each broadcast manager function provided by the kernel isn't required?

> I've added (some) docs and added checking of the BCM constants to the test_socket module.
This version looks good to me.
I'll commit it next week (I currently don't have access to my
development machine).
> I would guess that checking each broadcast manager function provided by the kernel isn't required?
No, the goal is not to test the kernel implementation. That should be
enough for now.

New changeset f714af60508d by Charles-François Natali in branch 'default':
Issue #15359: Add CAN_BCM protocol support to the socket module. Patch by Brian
http://hg.python.org/cpython/rev/f714af60508d

Committed.
Brian, thanks for the patch!

stage: resolved

messages: + msg180444

messages: + msg180118

messages: + msg180070