Can I branch the CAN to go to two separate places?

[wireties]

Do NOT do this! Your goal is to make the robot as robust as possible. One way to make the robot more robust is to wire the power, sensors and control lines per the recommendations of the relevant standards committees or OEMs. Use the correct tools and the correct techniques then test everything over and over again.

Could you get lucky? Sure

Is it worth it? No, a hundred times no

Is it a "professional" thing to do? No buyer would sign off and pay you for something wired incorrectly. You might be thinking "if it works then who cares"? This is where engineering ethics comes in - you are not compliant and you know it. So fix it!

That is my two cents. I've delivered many dozens of high performance systems. And I've been on the receiving end of non-compliant subsystems and made them fix everything (using their own money).