Just a couple of months ago, we went on a road trip through the Southern part of New Zealand where the drive for each leg was around 5-6 hours. So of course we had to keep our driving friends awake and alert the entire time. We had some occasional breaks but in the car, everyone had to stay awake. There were times when I wished there was some caffeinated machine with us in the car that could make coffee at will whenever we needed a jolt. This design for a vehicle coffee machine is probably the first step towards having something like this eventually.
Designer: Junseo Oh
DOTS is a design for a portable coffee machine that primarily works if you’re in an automated vehicle but can also be used in other on-the-go scenarios. It has a removable bottom so it can adapt to whatever or wherever you’re using it for. It also uses coffee capsules instead of the usual brewing method to make it easier to use. The capsules are placed on the top and replaced by removing that part. Water is stored in the cylindrical space at the bottom. We assume this also boils the water or at least keeps it warm for when you need to start the process.
There is also a control or lever in the machine which lets you adjust the intensity of the extraction method from the capsule since coffee drinkers have different preferences when it comes to that. The machine comes with a tumbler where you can place the coffee directly. It has a lid on top to secure your liquid and you can also place a straw on it, although sipping hot liquid with a straw seems a bit weird.
While it’s primarily designed for vehicles, the portability of the DOTS machine lets you bring it with you whenever you may need a caffeine break. It has a minimalist and space gray feel so it can match most car interiors. I would love to have something as portable as this especially when traveling somewhere that may not have that good of a coffee culture.
