  We consider a system of two coupled particles evolving in a periodic and
spatially symmetric potential under the influence of external driving and
damping. The particles are driven individually in such a way that in the
uncoupled regime, one particle evolves on a chaotic attractor, while the other
evolves on regular periodic attractors. Notably only the latter supports
coherent particle transport. The influence of the coupling between the
particles is explored, and in particular how it relates to the emergence of a
directed current. We show that increasing the (weak) coupling strength subdues
the current in a process, which in phase-space, is related to a merging crisis
of attractors forming one large chaotic attractor in phase-space. Further, we
demonstrate that complete current suppression coincides with a chaos-hyperchaos
transition.
