Ford employee invents On-The-Go H2O – turns condensation from air-con system into drinking water

Ford’s prototype On-the-Go H2O system collects, filters and pumps water directly to a faucet hanging over the cupholders.

Ford’s prototype On-the-Go H2O system collects, filters and pumps water directly to a faucet hanging over the cupholders.

In an age of energy conservation, the car remains a prime source of innovation. From the increased usage of recyclable materials to the reduction in fuel consumption brought on by more efficient engines and alternative fuels, engineers work day and night to bring the automobile into a more sustainable future. But what if we looked at conservation in different way?

That’s what Doug Martin did. A powertrain controls engineer at Ford, he was inspired by a billboard in Lima, Peru, which condensed the city’s humid air into drinking water for the local population. Martin saw that the condensation from air-conditioning condensers, which usually drips onto the road below, can be used for the same purpose – and discovered that a car could produce more than 1.9 litres of water every hour.

“All that water going to waste should be recovered to serve a purpose,” said Martin. “The real vision is that this idea could eventually help people who don’t have easy access to water, in remote locations such as the Australian Outback, for example. I’m trying to make my twin daughters proud, and make the world a better place for them.”

Martin worked with colleague John Rollinger to produce a working prototype that would convert all this fluid into clean drinking water. The system, dubbed On-The-Go H2O, takes the water from a reservoir and pumps it through an 0.1-micron filter to remove organic impurities, then channels it to a faucet on the centre console cupholder. It can also be used to filter polluted water from other sources.

On-The-Go H2O would ensure that drivers will need to make fewer stops to buy bottled water, hence reducing the number of plastic bottles that end up in landfills. However, Ford adds that the benefits of the system could go even further, helping to alleviate the global water crisis – the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that it affects one in 10 people and leaves hundreds of millions without clean drinking water.

This, of course, isn’t Martin’s first invention – he holds around 70 automotive-related patents, and has been at Ford for a combined 22 years, having joined the company after graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan. “I think it would be pretty exciting to actually see this going into production somewhere and make a difference,” he said.

Martin’s system is one of three innovations highlighted at the Further with Ford trends conference, which also included a passenger-centric Sync Remote Control system that could give ride-sharing passengers control of the infotainment screen, as well as a Carr-E transportable device that can move people and objects short distances where cars aren’t accessible.


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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • Hey ford engineer why waste time on this? Can you use your brain to think of a machine to separate the hydrogen and oxygen from H2O, and fit into the car run straight from water.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 33
    • LatukBandar on Sep 22, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      Since you are so smart, why not apply for the job in Ford’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell department?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 2
    • Yeah right on Sep 22, 2016 at 6:17 pm

      How about think about it this way, even you with a mediocre brain can think of that, why dont the ford engineers? They must have thought of that and there are things that hold then back. And with my very minimal knowledge on this, i think it would be very dangerous for the propulsion system to be dependend on the aircond system, where when the aircond fails it would affect the car. Plus the variation when it comes to humidity when we travels from places, night and day, damnn, thats complicated.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 6
    • DPCraft on Sep 22, 2016 at 8:14 pm

      Wow that’s pretty innovative, now can carry small bottle around and refilled in car :D

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
    • plo tong on Sep 23, 2016 at 12:32 pm

      no lah. that tech already available lah bro. can buy anytime in kedai mamak

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Silthice on Sep 22, 2016 at 5:10 pm

    Need on the go peeing system as well to ensure that drivers will need to make fewer stops to go toilet , hence reducing the number of cars at the RNR that end up in earlier arrival time ⌚ to the destination.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 6
    • applegreen on Sep 23, 2016 at 9:55 am

      where do the pee go? maybe goes inside the nozzle and then turn into windshield washer?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Recycle the sewage water for drinking…. then you have (almost) endless supply.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Illya on Sep 22, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Collected water=increased weight=increased fuel consumption

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 20
  • Illya on Sep 22, 2016 at 6:45 pm

    Increased water collected = increased weight = increased fuel consumption. That’s why nobody tried it. They thought of it, then nahh……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 16
  • armandd on Sep 22, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    The first pic reminds me of a dentist chair.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 0
    • Was about to say the same thing. Gives me shivers thinking about root canal surgery

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • crash on Sep 22, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    Waste time for this. It is not practical. If you drink more water, you will need to go washroom to pee more often. Anyhow you need to stop the car.
    Since the car can produce 1.9 litres of water every hour, might as well turn it into an intercooler sprayer to lower intake air temperature

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • orang biasa on Sep 22, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    Good inverter but no to me. Maintenance will be more higher compare to conventional car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Lee Kum Kee on Sep 23, 2016 at 2:03 am

    MY engineers are better. We have made handbag/shopping bag clip holder and the infamous teh tarik hook in cars. Its a no brainer if we introduced teh tarik or white coffee dispenser in car. But later MY pipu will complain the engineers have nothing else to do…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Yokohama24 on Sep 23, 2016 at 8:54 am

    Good idea without a doubt.

    But I’m not keen to have a dispenser in my car, it spoils the interior view of my vehicle. Or maybe it is just that we haven’t accept it as a norm.

    Seriously it will look very awkward leh. Imagine your beautiful beast Mustang have a dispenser in that spoils the interior view.

    No offence, not going against this, but just saying it will look awkward hahah.
    It would be great for Recreational Vehicles (RV) though. But too bad not popular in Malaysia.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Until one day you open up the system and see mold growing inside the tubings.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Peter on Sep 23, 2016 at 10:48 am

    They could as well make soda water or carbonated drinks out of the exhaust pipe, make it more environmental friendly.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Levin on Sep 23, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    Good idea but I wonder what happens to the chemical that is used to spray/clean the aircon condensers. Will the filtration system be good enough to make the water safe for consumption?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Melvin Chau on May 08, 2018 at 5:20 pm

    This idea already proven by my father 15 years back , so would it consider Ford invention ??? or So call Ford idea ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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