The DAC-Demonstrator research project, dedicated to the development of a digital automatic coupling system for rail freight transport, was officially completed on June 2, 2026.
To mark the occasion, a conference was held in Lippstadt, Germany, at the headquarters of Westfälische Landes-Eisenbahn GmbH (WLE), a regional rail operator based in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The results were presented by the DAC4EU consortium together with the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV), in the presence of representatives from the rail industry, operators, and the political sphere.
The tested solution marks an important step in the modernization of rail freight transport, a sector that currently still relies largely on manual coupling systems, which have been in use for over a century. This process is considered slow, costly, and labor-intensive, causing delays in train formation and limiting competitiveness compared to road transport.
Digitalization for Efficiency in Freight Transport
As part of the DAC-Demonstrator project, several digital automatic coupling systems were tested under real-world operating conditions, including shunting operations at freight yards, on international routes, and on complex logistics connections. The tests demonstrated the technology’s potential to increase operational efficiency, reduce train formation times, and improve the safety of rail operations.
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport supported the project with EUR 30 million as part of a development program coordinated at the European level.
“Our goal is to increase rail freight volumes. Digitalization and automation are essential prerequisites for this. The digital automatic coupler is a key technology: it makes the coupling process safer and more efficient and opens up new opportunities for increasing rail capacity. Through the DAC-Demonstrator project, we have demonstrated the potential of this technology together with the industry—the next step is testing under real-world operating conditions and preparing for large-scale implementation,” stated Germany’s Federal Minister of Transport, Patrick Schnieder.
The DAC-Demonstrator project was structured in several successive phases, beginning with detailed tests (Phase I), continuing with operational tests (Phase II), then testing the digital automatic coupling under real-world operating conditions for rail freight transport in Phases III and IV, with Phases V and VI outlining future directions for development and large-scale implementation.
The project, launched in 2020 by the DAC4EU consortium, brings together partners such as Deutsche Bahn, DB Cargo, SBB Cargo, Rail Cargo Austria, Ermewa, GATX Rail Europe, and VTG Rail Europe.
The results confirm the viability of DAC (digital automatic coupling) technology and pave the way for its gradual introduction across Europe as part of rail freight modernization programs.
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