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Issue link: https://adp.epubxp.com/i/848620
www.ADandP.media They've developed a new interface based on Android with menus and tiles that are displayed on an 8-inch high resolu- tion touchscreen interface. This is the first deployment of this Honda-developed system. Just as there are elements from the MDX and the Pilot in the Odyssey, going forward this oper- ating system is going to be deployed in future Honda vehicles. Not only is this new operating system designed for current functionality, they've created it so that it can be updated over- the-air (4G LTE and WiFi) or via a USB. Because kids are often in the second and third rows and because (1) the adults in the front want to know what's going on in the back and (2) the adults often want to talk at those riding in the back, they've developed CabinWatch and CabinTalk. The former uses a ceiling-mounted camera (with infrared capability so as to be able to see, say, a sleeping infant at night) that displays second- and third-row activities on the 8-inch touchscreen. CabinTalk allows addressing those in the back via (1) the rear entertainment system headphones or (2) second- and third-row speakers. And there is another development that works to the advantage of the second- and third-row passengers (as well as the front passenger): CabinControl. This is a smartphone app that allows control of the rear entertainment system and rear HVAC, as well as send destinations to the embedded navi- gation system. (It works with all phones except the driver's, with the driver's phone being identified by its pairing with the vehicle.) Although the general rule of thumb seems to be that minivans are a declining vehicle, that's not the case according to figures from Autodata ( motorintelligence.com ). For 2016 it shows total minivan sales of 553,131 units, up some 8 percent compared to the 512,089 for 2015. Honda has had a good piece of that market. Last year it sold 122,738 Odysseys, down from the 127,736 of 2015, but that was up from the 120,772 of 2014. The point is, minivans aren't going away (and arguably they may actually gain in the market as car sharing increases). And Honda continues to improve its offering in the segment. There is a Honda-developed, Android-based operating system on that 8-inch touchscreen in the center of the instrument panel. This system can be updated over-the-air or via USB. It is the first use of the system. 33 AD&P; ∕ AUGUST 2017 ODYSSEY