At Zurich Airport, the Skymetro links the central airport complex with Dock E through a tunnel of around 1.1 kilometres beneath the runway. The people mover, an automated system that carries passengers between the two airport buildings, is currently undergoing a comprehensive overhaul. As part of this overhaul, onway implemented the Wi-Fi infrastructure for the new train control system in 2026. This is a mission-critical application: the Wi-Fi network carries data required for the reliable and safe operation of the Skymetro.

The Skymetro is a cable-driven air-cushion train. While the vehicles float on a cushion of air, they are pulled by cables powered by drive units in Dock E. Communication between the vehicle and the drive system takes place wirelessly over Wi-Fi. Since this link carries safety-critical control data, the requirements for reliability and transmission quality are correspondingly high.

For mission-critical applications of this kind, onway relies on Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (CURWB). The technology provides stable Wi-Fi connections to moving vehicles with low, predictable latency. It is also used in other demanding applications such as metros and roller coasters, where reliable communication with vehicles in motion is essential.

The project demonstrates that today's Wi-Fi technology can also be used for mission-critical applications such as autonomous driving, making it an equally capable and cost-effective alternative to private 5G networks.