Zoox CEO Aicha Evans said autonomous vehicles should be regulated, echoing federal officials who have urged AV developers to improve interactions with first responders and emergency personnel.

Her remarks come as the Amazon subsidiary launched its first paid ride service in the United States in Las Vegas on Monday, transitioning from a free pilot program that began in 2023. The move marks a significant commercialization step for Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020 for approximately $1.2 billion, placing the e-commerce giant in direct competition with Alphabet's Waymo in the emerging robotaxi market.

"I want to unequivocally say we agree with the administrator and the administration and the regulatory agency. We need to be regulated," Evans told FOX Business host Liz Claman on "The Claman Countdown." "And EV scenes are extremely important, because it's about saving lives all around."

Evans was responding in part to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Jonathan Morrison, who wrote in July that autonomous vehicles must be able to interact safely with first responders.

"To state it bluntly: an AV that cannot safely interact with first responders is a danger to the general public," Morrison wrote.

Evans thanked Morrison for his partnership in advancing American innovation.

The NHTSA's scrutiny follows a June incident in which one of Zoox's robotaxis drove into heavy smoke at an active emergency scene in Las Vegas. Zoox subsequently issued a software recall and updated the technology to improve detection of and response to fire and smoke.

"These are rare edge cases," Evans said. "We learn and we continue to improve our processes along the way to make them better and better."

"Sometimes it's software, sometimes it is firmware, sometimes it is just using simulation," she added. "We throw the best at it, we root cause, we learn, we improve and we deploy."

Evans told FOX Business that the company believes in transparency and taking responsibility for such incidents.

Safety incidents have been a flashpoint across the autonomous vehicle industry. In October 2023, General Motors' Cruise unit suspended its driverless operations nationwide after one of its vehicles dragged a pedestrian in San Francisco, drawing intense regulatory scrutiny and leading to leadership upheaval. Cruise has since resumed testing with safety drivers but has not relaunched fully driverless commercial service.

With the paid service now operational, Evans said early ridership numbers are consistent with participation during the free pilot phase.

"We have essentially, so far, the same number as people who are taking free rides," she said.

Unlike competitors such as Waymo, which retrofits conventional vehicles for driverless operations, Zoox designs purpose-built robotaxis that are pedal-free and steering-wheel-free. The vehicles feature face-to-face campfire-style seating for up to four passengers. This purpose-built approach has drawn both praise for its reimagined passenger experience and questions from regulators about how such unconventional vehicles comply with existing federal motor vehicle safety standards designed around traditional controls.

Roughly 65 Zoox vehicles are currently deployed in Las Vegas. Evans said production is "ramping up," with the company's California factory doubling output to five to six vehicles per day.

Zoox currently operates pilot programs in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin, and Miami. Evans indicated the company plans to expand further.

"We will be entering Atlanta and LA and… we have big ambitions," Evans said. "We want to be everywhere where we are welcome and show and deliver these wonderful and lovable experiences to customers around the U.S."