ViaMichelin
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Travel, Cartography, Navigation software |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Michelin |
| Headquarters | Europe |
Area served | Europe |
| Products | Maps, itinerary planning, hotel and restaurant listings, traffic information, tourist information, GPS navigation software and devices |
Number of employees | 170 (2008) |
| Parent | Michelin |
| Website | www |
ViaMichelin is a European travel platform introduced in 2001 by Michelin, drawing upon the company's extensive century-long experience in cartography and travel guides.
Catering to both individual users and corporate clients, ViaMichelin delivers a variety of services including maps, itinerary planning, listings for hotels and restaurants, traffic information, and tourist details accessible via multiple channels such as websites, mobile devices, PDAs, and GPS navigation tools. Its operations extend to major European urban centers like London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, and Paris.
The company broadened its scope in 2005 through the acquisition of Kirrio. By 2008, ViaMichelin employed approximately 170 staff members but encountered workforce downsizing due to market pressures.
ViaMichelin website
As of 2017, the website encompasses data on 187 billion kilometres of roadways throughout more than 42 European nations and attracts upwards of 400 million visitors annually. It features Michelin Guide content with curated recommendations covering over 62,000 hotels and restaurants alongside 18,000 tourist attractions. Additional offerings include live traffic and weather updates, online car rental services, and a complimentary downloadable database indicating speed camera locations.
The platform also includes an e-commerce section providing electronic updates for the Michelin Guide, GPS device accessories, and navigation software compatible with various hardware. Its innovation division, ViaMichelin Labs, is dedicated to testing and refining products such as Michelin maps specifically designed for iPhone users.
Reception of website
In 2009, Graff characterized the ViaMichelin site as somewhat "confusing". Two years later, Boxell described it as "complicated". Conversely, Bennett in 2010 and Scales in 2013 found it to be "useful". Earlier praise came from The Guardian in 2004.
Mobile services
ViaMichelin’s mobile offerings were available through networks including O2 in the UK, Bouygues Telecom in France, Wind in Italy, Telefónica in Spain, E-Plus in Germany, Base in the Netherlands, and via i-mode in Belgium. These services featured automated route planning along with search functions for travel-related addresses such as hotels, eateries, and fuel stations. The mobile service operations concluded in early 2007.
Software for PDAs
The company developed navigation software optimized for PDAs that enabled users to directly access route calculations, map displays, and listings from the Michelin Guide.
In October 2005, ViaMichelin introduced a portable GPS device that integrated Michelin Guide content with location-based information including retail outlets, petrol stations, service centers, and safety camera alerts. They also supplied traffic data services to automobile manufacturers.
On 11 January 2008, ViaMichelin discontinued its GPS hardware production to concentrate on its primary business areas.
The GPS models offered by ViaMichelin included:
- X-930, noted for receiving varied feedback concerning its user interface.
- X-950T
- X-960
- X-970T
- X-980T
These devices combined navigation functionality with Michelin’s branded content aimed at consumers seeking comprehensive travel solutions.