Evo Car Share launches new voice-enabled skill for Amazon Alexa in Canada: Find and reserve an Evo by voice

• BC-based Evo Car Share is B.C.'s largest car share with 1,250 cars, all 4-door hybrids with ski/bike racks
• Evo, a one-way car share now offers option to reserve a car using simple voice commands
• Evo is the first car share to introduce a skill for Amazon Alexa in Canada

BURNABY, BC, Feb. 27, 2018 /CNW/ - Evo Car Share has launched a new skill for Amazon Alexa and is the first car share to introduce a skill in Canada. British Columbians can now reserve an Evo by voice using an Alexa-enabled device and an Evo Membership. All they have to do is say, "Alexa, ask Evo to book me an Evo". Having the largest car share fleet in B.C. made up of 1,250 four-door, Toyota Prius hybrids, along with its new Alexa skill, Evo has made it even easier and faster to find and book its cars.

"We're excited to offer the latest in technological advances, and Evo Members are now able to use Alexa to reserve a car in Canada," says Tai Silvey, director of Evo Car Share. "We always want to make life simpler and better for British Columbians and the new Alexa skill is like having another pair of arms. Being able to reserve an Evo without having to stop whatever you're doing means Members can stay focused on the things that matter most to them."

Evo, created by BCAA, partnered with Vancouver-based Apply Digital, a digital product studio that works with organizations to create software-enabled products and services, to develop the Alexa Skill.

"We had been planning it long before Alexa was available in Canada, knowing how important a voice-first experience for Evo was going to be. The expectation has been set in other markets and Evo fully understands the need to constantly adapt to the changing needs of their users," said Scott Michaels, chief strategist and partner at Apply Digital. "We founded Apply Digital to help companies create exciting new offerings for their customers through emerging technology, and we are thrilled to partner with Evo to develop an Alexa skill made in Canada, for Canadians."

How does the skill work?

The Evo skill for Amazon Alexa is free of charge. All that's needed is an Evo Membership, an Alexa-powered device and the most recent version of the Evo app. Evo Members simply connect their Evo account in the Alexa app, and once the new skill is activated, it's ready to go. The following voice commands will allow Evo Members to:

• Find a nearby Evo — "Alexa, ask Evo to find me a car". Alexa will also provide the walking distance from the Member's location.
• Make a reservation up to 30 minutes in advance for free — "Alexa, ask Evo to book me an Evo".
• Get reservation information and time remaining — "Alexa, ask Evo how much time is left on my reservation".
• Change or cancel a reservation — "Alexa, ask Evo to cancel my booking".

The Evo skill can be used on any of the 18 Amazon Alexa-enabled devices, including the popular Echo and Echo Dot, along with many other Alexa-enabled devices including the new Sonos One smart speaker. 

Once an Evo is booked, Members still use the Evo app to start or end a trip. The Evo app is supported on Android and iOS, and is available in Apple and Google Play stores or at evo.ca

About Evo
Evo Car Share is Vancouver's only pick-up and drop-off anywhere car sharing service to offer a full fleet of four-door, hybrid vehicles. With room for five passengers, cargo space and ski/bike racks, Evo enables Members to live their distinct and local lives. Created by BCAA, Evo aims to meet the changing mobility needs of British Columbians, whether or not they own a car. Evo cars can be booked and accessed via smartphone using the Evo app. Evos can also be booked by voice using the Evo skill for Amazon Alexa. Evo supports local communities by using 100 per cent of users' $2 annual Car Share Operator Fee to protect kids in B.C. communities. Learn more at evo.ca

About Apply Digital
Apply Digital is a Vancouver-based Digital Product Studio. Apply partners with organizations to concept, design, build and manage digital products and services. By leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, they create "smart" digital products that achieve business goals and provide utility to end users. Apply has built a world-class team of researchers, UX specialists, designers, strategists, developers and data scientists to create compelling, ROI driven products. They have offices in Vancouver, BC and Toronto, ON. To learn more about Apply Digital, please visit applydigital.co

About BCAA
BCAA started the mobility revolution in B.C. over 100 years ago when a small group of British Columbians, passionate about cars and mobility joined together to form an auto club. A century later, BCAA continues to help new generations get to where they need to go, and Evo is one way BCAA meets the changing mobility needs of British Columbians, whether or not they own a car. The most trusted organization in British Columbia by its Members, BCAA serves 1 in 3 B.C. households with industry-leading products in addition to Evo, including home, auto and travel insurance, roadside assistance and full auto service at BCAA Auto Service Centre locations. With more than 100,000 partners worldwide, BCAA's over 870,000 Members can save up to $1,000 per year on insurance and items they use every day. To learn more about how a BCAA Membership is rewarding, please visit bcaa.com

SOURCE British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)

or to schedule an interview, please contact: Niela Melanio, BCAA Communication Specialist, Office: 604-268-5342, Cell: 778-228-8859, [email protected]; Jason Kinnear, Apply Digital, Cell: 647-291-8026, [email protected]