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BC Startup Brings Books into Your Car for Commutes and Road Trips

June 16, 2023 by Knowlton Thomas Leave a Comment

Road trips are a tradition for many in Canada.

The annual Toyota Canada Summer Road Trip Survey found 74% of Canadians are planning a road trip this year.

“It’s evident that road trips are still an important part of summer for many Canadians,” Stephen Beatty, Vice President of Corporate for Toyota Canada, stated in May.

Despite challenges posed by inflation and high gas prices, travellers hope to kick back and feel relaxed (71%), safe (54%), and adventurous (44%) on their road trips. When it comes to who they plan to travel with this summer, family members are the number one choice as road trip companions (80%); others will be taking friends (34%), pets (17%), and coworkers (3%).

And as for the entertainment… that is where Legible may come in handy.

The Vancouver-based e-reading platform announced this month that it has signed an exclusive deal with LiveOne, an infotainment company that streams music and podcasts to Tesla vehicles, among other brands.

Legible and LiveOne’s partnership adds audiobooks and ebooks to that content, filling a void in North America’s car culture.

“The audiobook market is growing by double digit percentages every year, and with no one else streaming digital books in vehicles, it’s an untapped market,” believes Kaleeg Hainsworth, chief executive of Legible. “No fiddling with extra gadgets, no devices to pair or glitchy bluetooth, and no AirPods running low on battery.”

California-based LiveOne streams Slacker Radio and PodcastOne to millions of cars in North America. And many Teslas sold in the US come with a LiveOne membership.

“We are excited to partner with Legible as pioneers in bringing millions of audiobooks and eBooks to people right in their cars,” stated Robert Ellin, Chairman of LiveOne. “Adding curated literature in our mobile subscription content will round out our already compelling selection of music and podcasts.”

For road trips that may require long breaks, drivers and passengers can turn to Legible’s e-reading options.

“Legible’s extensive collection of titles will provide endless hours of entertainment during daily commutes or long road trips with the family,” said Hainsworth. “People can choose to read an ebook when their vehicle is charging or parked.”

Legible carries over two million titles.

The startup is also developing AI-powered content that combines audio, video, and animation elements to form “Living Books.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Legible

 

About Knowlton Thomas

Knowlton Thomas is Editor-in-Chief of The Midway Advance and Senior Writer for Techcouver. Over more than a decade of journalism, he has penned thousands of articles and dozens of essays on technology, health, and culture across a variety of publications.

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