ViaMichelin

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (November 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

ViaMichelin is a travel website that allows road users in Europe to design and plan upcoming trips.^[1]

ViaMichelin was launched in 2001. At that time, Michelin had been publishing maps and guides for a century.

ViaMichelin provides services designed for both the general public and businesses. ViaMichelin provides several services (maps, route plans, hotel and restaurant listings, traffic and tourist information, etc.) across media including the Internet, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and GPS navigation systems. ViaMichelin has operations in London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, and Paris.

ViaMichelin bought Kirrio in 2005.^[2][3] In January 2008, it was reported that ViaMichelin had 170 employees, of whom 60 were about to be laid off.^[4]

The ViaMichelin website provides mapping coverage for 187 billion kilometres (as of 2017) of roads and streets across more than 42 European countries.

ViaMichelin offers its services in multiple languages and reports more than 400 million visitors per year to its website. Users can access a database of Michelin Guide content, which provides recommendations and ratings for over 62,000 restaurants and hotels, as well as 18,000 tourist sites. The website offers additional travel services such as real-time traffic information, weather, online car rental booking, and a regularly updated database of speed camera locations that can be downloaded for free. An online store is available that offers electronic updates for the Michelin Guide, GPS accessories, and navigation-related software (CD-ROMs, SD cards, etc.) that is compatible with third-party GPS devices and PDAs. Furthermore, ViaMichelin Labs is a website used for product testing and improvement, which includes Michelin iPhone-specific maps.

In 2009, Graff said the ViaMichelin website was "rather confusing".^[5] In 2011, Boxell said it was "complicated".^[6] The site was described as "useful" by Bennett in 2010^[7] and Scales in 2013.^[8] In 2004, the site was praised by The Guardian.^[9]

ViaMichelin mobile services were available in the United Kingdom (O2), France (Bouygues Telecom), Italy (Wind), Spain (Telefónica), Germany (E-Plus), Holland (Base), and Belgium via the i-mode portal. Users could access services that included automatic routing and travel-related address finder services, such as for hotels, restaurants, and petrol stations. ViaMichelin Mobile stopped offering mobile services at the beginning of 2007.

ViaMichelin develops navigation software that is specifically designed for PDAs, providing PDA users with direct access to ViaMichelin’s route calculation and map display services, as well as comprehensive Michelin guide listings.

In October 2005, ViaMichelin launched its own portable GPS navigation system, which included Michelin Guide content as well as additional location-based information such as shops, petrol stations, service stations, and safety camera locations. ViaMichelin also made its traffic information service available to vehicle manufacturers.

On 11 January 2008, ViaMichelin ceased production of its GPS range^[10] to focus on its core activities.

ViaMichelin created the following GPS units:

• X-930.^[11] The user interface was criticised by Ellison in 2007.^[12]
• X-950T.^[13]
• X-960.
• X-970T.^[14]
• X-980T.^[15]

• Victoria Shannon. "The End User: On the map, digitally". The New York Times. 27 August 2005.
• "Web of the week". The Times. 10 September 2005.
• A M. "Le mappe sulla Rete e sul cellulare" in "Cartografia Digitale". La Stampa. 15 July 2003. Page 13. Column 6.
• Jennifer L Schenker. "Michelin Guide Goes Web 2.0". Speigel International. 18 June 2008.
• Joe Finnerty. "Via Michelin". Auto Express. 18 July 2016.
• Randolph Hock. "ViaMichelin". The Traveler's Web: An Extreme Searcher Guide to Travel Resources on the Internet. CyberAge Books. Medford, New Jersey. 2007. Pages 157 and 158. See also pages 42 and 323.
• Blagoja Markoski. "ViaMichelin Website". Basic Principles of Topography. Translated by Mircheska-Jovanovska and Mihajlova. Springer. 2018. Chapter 7.5.2.1 at page 172. See also pages 171, 176 and 216.
• "ViaMichelin". Untangling the Web: The NSA's Guide to Gathering Information on Google. Center for Digital Content, National Security Agency. 2007. Page 236.
• Frédéric Ploton. "viamichelin.fr". Internet: Edition Windows Vista. Micro Application. 2007. Page 393.
• Susan Stellin. "ViaMichelin". How to Travel Practically Anywhere. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston and New York. 2006. Page 225. See also pages 13 and 212.
• Jeffrey Sambells, Michael Purvis and Cameron Turner. "ViaMichelin.com". Beginning Google Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax. Apress. 2006. Page 86.
• Allan Brimicombe and Chao Li. Location-Based Services and Geo-Information Engineering. Wiley-Blackwell. (John Wiley & Sons). 2009. Chapter 3.2 at pages 68 to 73. See also pages 79 and 115.
• Bogdan Popa. "The Latest ViaMichelin App Comes with New Features on Android and iPhone". Autoevolution. 25 May 2020.
• I F. "Sulla Retta Via". PC World Italia. April 2005. p 15.
• "Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin. Plunkett's Engineering & Research Industry Almanac 2006.
• The Shortest Path Problem: Ninth DIMACS Implementation Challenge. Pages 4 and 5.

• ViaMichelin

48°50′06″N 2°14′39″E / 48.83503°N 2.24417°E / 48.83503; 2.24417