2018 Honda Odyssey release date, specs news: Upcoming minivan's tech features aim to keep family members connected at all times

The 2018 Honda Odyssey is expected to continue the minivan's legacy of anticipating and catering to the needs of their target consumers with technical solutions that aim to promote a smooth and on-going communication between family members inside the quietest car cabin in its class.

The Japanese automaker will make good use of their so-called "Connected Cabin Concept" to help keep family members connected on long trips inside the upcoming minivan. With this concept, Honda endeavors to make communication from the first to the third row better with the use of a noise-cancellation technology coupled with insulation pads.

An in-car PA system known as the CabinTalk can also be expected to make it easier for the parents, who are up front, to get their point across when the kids begin to get in all sorts of tantrums. And to top it all off, a surveillance camera known as the CabinWatch, which is mounted to the ceiling of the car, allows parents to keep an eye on their kids at all times. The camera even has night-vision capability to let parents see any sneaky machinations in the dark.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey has also come up with their own version of Chrysler Pacifica's "Are We There Yet?" app, with a rear-seat-screen app that, instead, answers the question "How much farther?" The minivan also has a 4G connection and a rear-seat entertainment system displayed on a 10.2-inch screen mounted to the ceiling. This system provides access PBS Kids, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and other kid-friendly programs and applications via WiFi.

Under its hood, the 2018 Honda Odyssey will feature a 3.5-liter, direct-injected V6 engine that provides up to 280 horsepower. The upcoming minivan is also expected to return best-in-class fuel economy, but further details about this matter are yet to be announced.

The 2018 Honda Odyssey is rumored to go on sale in the coming months. However, Honda has yet to announce a specific release date along with pricing information on the minivan.