Background
YPF is an Argentine energy company dedicated to the exploration, exploitation, distillation, distribution and production of gas, oil and hydrocarbon derivatives and sale of fuels, lubricants, fertilizers, plastics and other industry-related products.
It is one of the largest companies in Argentina and one of the most important oil companies in the region. It has three refineries, located in La Plata (Buenos Aires), Lujan de Cuyo (Mendoza) and Plaza Huincul (Neuquén) and more than 1,600 service stations throughout the country (owned and franchised).
The challenge
The logistics area at YPF manages the distribution of products by tanker trucks to the gas stations and other consumption points across the country. Such transportation is possible through a variety of routes, many of which are on two-way roads, with just one lane for each direction of traffic, without a physical median.
On this type of road and due to the inappropriate driving of other vehicles on the road, three types of accidents affecting YPF trucks occur:
- Lane invasion, head-on collision (on the road)
- Rear-end collision (many of them in urban areas)
- Side collision
These accidents are due to a multitude of causes such as: drowsiness, driver distraction, high speed, road low visibility and many others. Most of them occur during the day, since this is when most trucks circulate.
YPF has incorporated some technology in its truck fleet, with the installation of front cameras with a display in the cabin. Those cameras provide at all times:
- the speed of the truck,
- the distance to the vehicle in front,
- audible alarms based on the braking distance (collision distance) and lane exit (left and right).
However, this system does not act on the speed or direction of the truck (see appendix).
In addition, those cameras capture images and calculate 6 factors used to score YPF drivers: braking distance, lane departure, sudden braking, centripetal acceleration in a curve..
There are 2 other cameras on the truck to control the product, one in the upper part of the tank and one another on the right side of the truck to monitor the fuel dispenser. This entire system of cameras and alarms has been developed especially for YPF by a local company.
In addition, YPF has a driver training program and controls driving hours, which, along with the score index, has helped to drastically reduce the accidents rate.
However no measures have been yet put in place to prevent or reduce the severity of accidents caused by other vehicles circulating on the road. YPF conducted a pilot and attempted to use 3 strips of orange LED lights on the front of the trucks to increase visibility, but Argentine regulations do not allow this type of lighting at the moment.
There are other types of driving aids (ADAs) that would be recommended, such as automatic correction of the truck's direction, but this will still take some time to be legislated and implemented in the country and they do not work correctly on all roads, due to their state of conservation, especially with regard to the painting of lines on the asphalt.
What we are looking for
YPF is looking for ideas and/or solutions to prevent or reduce the severity of accidents caused by other vehicles circulating on the road, in any of the following accidents:
- Invasion of the opposite lane on the road
- Rear-end collision
- Side collision
Solutions might work independently or integrated with any other system on-board, such as:
- Existing vision systems, such as available cameras
- Lighting systems
- Horn
Specific ideas or solutions may be applicable for 1, 2 or 3 of the types of the accidents.
YPF is accepting ideas or existing solutions. In the case of existing commercial solutions, it would be valuable to prove the countries where it is legal.
Considering the high number of trucks in the fleet, the cost of the solution is also an important factor, so it should not exceed 10,000-15,000 USD per truck.
Deliverables
This is a challenge with 1-round of submissions. To participate in the challenge you should submit a PDF document that includes:
- A clear description of your proposed idea or solution. Please consider using a diagram or flowchart to explain the operating mode.
- List of the required equipment or components with a basic specification. Estimated cost of the proposed solution and cost of the most expensive components.
- Provide viability evidence of your solution, supported by real case studies e.g. in other countries, applications or industries.
You can also add attachments to support your solution; please upload them in a compressed ZIP file.
Evaluation criteria
Submissions will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- Feasibility to solve any of the three types of accidents described above
- Number of types of accidents solved (1, 2 or 3)
- Autonomous or non-autonomous system
- Robustness of the solution
- Easy to implement
- Lower estimated solution costs
Finalists may have a meeting with the client to present and defend their proposal. This challenge may award one or more participants with different or complementary solutions.
Challenge calendar
This is a 1-round challenge with the following deadlines:
- 7 weeks for the presentation (the deadline ends on February 10, 2025)
- 4 weeks for the evaluation
Confidentiality
According to general terms and conditions.
The Finalists authorize YPF and/or its designee to capture and/or register and/or use and/or distribute and/or reproduce their still and/or moving images (hereinafter, the “Images”), their full name, description of the Projects and other data that they have opportunely provided to YPF within the framework of the Contest, that is, the Personal Data, to be included by YPF in publications, informational and/or advertising material (hereinafter, the “Publications”). In this way, the Finalists authorize that the Publications, which may include their Images and/or Personal Data, be distributed and/or reproduced in any and all graphic and/or audiovisual and/or electronic media, whether created and/or to be created, including, but not limited to the following: national and international open TV channels, Internet, radio, newspapers, magazines and social networks (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, etc.).
Intellectual property
According to general terms and conditions.
In the event that the solution is selected as the WINNER, the Participant will retain ownership of the intellectual property rights of the solutions presented, although he/she grants the right of use to YPF for the objectives of the challenge (from piloting to scaling to the entire fleet).
Specific T&C
YPF S.A. employees, or their relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity and first degree of affinity, may not participate in this Contest.
The bases of this challenge (terms and conditions https://www.ennomotive.com/es/terminos-y-condiciones/) are governed by the laws of the Argentine Republic. Any divergence arising from this will be subject to the jurisdiction of the National Commercial Courts based in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, expressly waiving any other jurisdiction or venue, for any question or controversy raised between them by this.
Prizes
15,000 USD. Each winning solution or idea will be awarded $5,000, with a maximum of 3 solutions.
