The European transport sector must become more sustainable, efficient, and resilient to meet evolving economic, environmental, and societal demands. Rail freight, as a key component of a low-emission mobility system, needs to transition towards more flexible, customer-oriented, and digitally enabled operations. This transformation is aligned with EU policies such as the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which aim to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050 and significantly increase the share of rail freight.
A key enabler of this transition is the Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC), which replaces manual processes with a standardised, automated, and digital solution. DAC enables longer, heavier, and faster trains, improves safety, reduces operational time, and introduces intelligent functionalities such as real-time data exchange and automated train operations. It forms the foundation for a fully digital, interoperable European rail freight system.
Building on previous initiatives such as Shift2Rail, the European DAC Delivery Programme (EDDP), and FP5-TRANS4M-R, the FP5-DACtiVate project brings together 21 partners across the rail freight value chain. Its main objective is to enable the pre-deployment of DAC-equipped freight trains by validating technologies, components, and system integration under real operational conditions, thereby supporting large-scale deployment in Europe.
The project focuses on four key objectives: (i) validation of pre-deployment trains through comprehensive testing (e.g. derailment, crash, and climate tests), (ii) demonstration of interoperability and interchangeability of DAC components, (iii) integration and validation of hybrid couplers for locomotives, and (iv) large-scale validation of Wagon On-Board Units within the overall system architecture.
FP5-DACtiVate’s pathway to impact lies in accelerating the deployment of interoperable, high-TRL DAC solutions and reducing barriers to market uptake. The project will provide key input to authorisation processes and standardisation, enabling harmonised and cross-border deployment.
The expected impacts are substantial. With over 500,000 freight wagons and more than 15,000 locomotives requiring retrofitting, DAC represents a major industrial opportunity. The project will contribute to increased capacity, improved reliability, and reduced life-cycle costs, while supporting a modal shift from road to rail and reducing emissions and congestion.
In addition to technological and economic benefits, FP5-DACtiVate addresses societal aspects by improving working conditions and safety through reduced manual operations. The integration of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) ensures that human factors, workforce acceptance, and organisational change are considered, supported by the involvement of sector stakeholders and social partners.
Overall, FP5-DACtiVate will contribute to establishing rail freight as the backbone of a sustainable, efficient, and resilient European transport system, supporting EU climate goals and strengthening the competitiveness of the European rail sector.
