Zoox CEO Aicha Evans agreed that autonomous vehicles should be regulated as the Amazon subsidiary’s fleet of autonomous vehicles launched its first paid service in the United States in Las Vegas Monday. 

In June, one of Zoox’s robotaxis drove into heavy smoke at an active emergency scene in Las Vegas. Zoox issued a software recall following the incident and has since updated the technology to better detect and respond to fire and smoke.

Evans told FOX Business host Liz Claman the company believes in transparency and taking responsibility.

“These are rare edge cases,” Evans told “The Claman Countdown” on Monday. “We learn and we continue to improve our processes along the way to make them better and better.”

THIEF USES WAYMO AS A GETAWAY CAR

Zoox, an autonomous vehicle in operation in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on April 27, 2026.  (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“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’ remarks come as federal officials press autonomous vehicle (AV) developers to improve interactions with first responders and emergency personnel, warning that failures to do so could pose a serious risk to public safety.

“To state it bluntly: an AV that cannot safely interact with first responders is a danger to the general public,” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Jonathan Morrison wrote in July.

Evans, who thanked Morrison for his partnership in advancing American innovation, said she believes autonomous vehicle regulation is necessary.

100 KODIAK DRIVERLESS TRUCKS ARE HEADED FOR PUBLIC ROADS

Aicha Evans, chief executive officer of Zoox Inc., speaks during the Bloomberg Technology Summit in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 22, 2023.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“I want to unequivocally say we agree with the administrator and the administration and the regulatory agency. We need to be regulated,” she said. “And EV scenes are extremely important, because it’s about saving lives all around.”

After providing free Zoox rides in Las Vegas since 2023 under a three-year pilot program, the Amazon robotaxi brand officially began charging customers for rides on Monday.

“We have essentially, so far, the same number as people who are taking free rides,” Evans told FOX Business.

Unlike competitors such as Waymo, which retrofits regular cars for driverless operations, Zoox’s vehicles are pedal-free, steering-wheel free and passenger-focused. The robotaxis feature face-to-face campfire-style seating for up to four passengers.

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A woman steps into a Zoox fully autonomous robotaxi that was displayed at the Line Hotel during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Austin.  (Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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

The CEO also told FOX Business where the company could expand next, beyond Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin and Miami, where Zoox currently operates pilot programs.

“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.”

Digital entertainment products are often judged in seconds. A platform may have strong content, polished visuals, and a large library of games, but users will leave quickly if the first experience feels confusing. Slow loading, unclear menus, hidden support, vague reward rules, and cluttered mobile screens can all weaken trust.

That is why user experience matters so much in social casino entertainment. The category combines casino-style visuals, virtual coins, rewards, mobile access, events, and account systems. These features can be engaging, but only when users understand how they work.

A polished social casino platform should not rely only on bright design or promotional language. It should make the experience clear from the beginning. Users should know where to start, how to manage their account, how rewards function, and where to find help if they need it.

For users comparing legit social casinos, the best question is not only “which platform looks exciting?” The better question is “which platform explains itself clearly and gives users control?”

That shift matters because trust in digital entertainment is built through product quality, not surface-level design alone.

User Experience Is a Trust Signal

A strong user experience helps people feel comfortable.

When users can find games, understand rewards, view balances, manage settings, and contact support without frustration, the platform feels more reliable. When those actions are difficult, even a visually polished site can feel uncertain.

Social casino platforms need especially clear UX because they involve multiple systems at once. A user may need to understand virtual coins, daily rewards, tournaments, events, account settings, privacy controls, and support tools.

If those systems are not organized well, the platform can feel overwhelming. That is especially true for beginners, who may not yet understand the difference between social casino games, sweepstakes-style systems, virtual currency, bonuses, and redemption-related terms.

A legit platform should reduce confusion at every step. It should not make users guess what a coin means, where a reward came from, how an event works, or where account controls are located.

Good UX is not decoration. It is a signal that the platform has been designed around the user.

Mobile Design Comes First

Many users interact with social casino platforms from phones or tablets. That means mobile design is not a secondary feature. It is often the main experience.

A strong mobile platform should load quickly, make buttons easy to tap, display text clearly, and keep important information visible. Users should be able to find game categories, rewards, balances, terms, support, and account controls without digging through confusing menus.

IBTimes Australia’s broader mobile technology coverage reflects how central smartphones have become to everyday digital behavior, from connectivity and payments to app-based services and mobile-first platforms. That same mobile-first expectation applies to social casino platforms.

Poor mobile design can damage trust. If the interface feels broken, crowded, or inconsistent, users may question whether the platform is well managed. Good mobile design makes the platform feel intentional.

For social casino platforms, mobile quality is especially important because many sessions are short. A user may open the platform during a break, collect a reward, check an event, or play briefly. If the mobile experience creates friction, the platform may lose the user before the session really begins.

Clear Navigation Helps Users Stay Oriented

Navigation is one of the simplest ways to judge digital product quality.

A strong platform should make it obvious where users can find games, account settings, rewards, promotions, support, privacy information, and terms. The main menu should be easy to understand. Important pages should not be buried.

Social casino platforms can become complicated when they include multiple game types, reward systems, events, leaderboards, and virtual currency balances. Clear navigation keeps those features manageable.

Users should not feel like they are wandering through unrelated pages. A good platform should guide them naturally from one part of the experience to another.

Good navigation also helps reduce support issues. When users can find information on their own, they are less likely to become frustrated.

Transparent Virtual Currency Rules

Virtual currency is one of the first areas users should evaluate.

Social casino platforms may use coins, credits, bonus balances, or other platform-specific terms. These currencies may be awarded through daily rewards, promotions, missions, events, or optional purchases.

A legit platform should explain how virtual currency is earned, how it is used, whether it expires, and whether any limitations apply.

Balances should be visible. Terms should be easy to access. Users should not need to guess which currency they are using or what it means.

Confusing coin systems weaken trust. Clear coin systems make the experience easier to manage.

This is especially important when a platform uses more than one type of currency. If users see different balances, each one should have a clear purpose. A good platform should explain the difference in plain language, not only in fine print.

Rewards Should Be Clear and Useful

Rewards are central to social casino entertainment.

A platform may offer login bonuses, mission rewards, event prizes, leaderboard incentives, seasonal promotions, or daily gifts. These rewards can make short sessions feel active and engaging.

But rewards should always be understandable.

Users should know what they received, how it can be used, whether it expires, and whether any terms apply. If a reward is promoted loudly but explained poorly, the platform is not supporting a strong user experience.

The best reward systems are transparent and easy to track. A user should be able to see reward history, current balances, available bonuses, and any relevant conditions without confusion.

Rewards should add to the experience. They should not create uncertainty.

Event Design Should Reduce Confusion

Events can help a platform feel fresh.

Daily missions, weekend tournaments, seasonal campaigns, leaderboard races, limited-time challenges, and themed promotions can give users new goals. These features make familiar games feel more active and can encourage users to return.

But event design must be clear. Users should know how to join, when the event ends, how progress is measured, what rewards are available, and whether conditions apply.

A confusing event system creates friction. A clear event system creates momentum.

For social casino platforms, events should feel like opportunities, not puzzles. If the user needs to read several pages to understand basic participation, the event may not be designed well.

Good event design uses simple language, visible progress, and clear deadlines.

Game Libraries Need Organization

Game variety can be a strength, but only when users can navigate it.

A platform may include slot-style games, card-inspired formats, roulette-style features, bonus games, tournaments, and themed events. That variety can appeal to different users, but it can also overwhelm beginners.

Good organization helps. Search tools, categories, featured games, recently played sections, popular titles, and event labels make discovery easier.

A legit platform should not simply offer many games. It should help users find the right game quickly.

Organization also supports trust. When a platform’s game library feels structured, users are more likely to feel that the product has been built carefully.

A large library without clear categories can feel messy. A smaller library with better navigation may feel easier to use.

Support Must Be Visible

Support access is one of the clearest signals of platform quality.

Users may need help with login issues, account settings, rewards, virtual currency, events, technical problems, privacy controls, or promotional terms.

A strong platform should make support easy to find. This may include an FAQ page, help center, support email, contact form, ticket system, or live chat.

Support should not be hidden at the bottom of unrelated pages. Users should be able to locate help before they need it.

Visible support builds confidence. It tells users that questions are expected and that the platform is prepared to answer them.

The quality of support content matters too. Help pages should use clear language and answer practical questions directly.

Account Controls Matter

A legit platform gives users control over their experience.

Account controls may include profile settings, notification preferences, privacy options, security tools, communication choices, and responsible-use features.

These controls matter because social casino platforms often use rewards, reminders, events, and promotional updates. Users should be able to manage how they interact with those features.

A platform that makes account settings easy to access feels more mature and user focused.

Control is part of trust. Users should be able to adjust notifications, review account details, manage communication preferences, and understand privacy choices without frustration.

If basic account controls are difficult to find, the platform may not meet modern user expectations.

Privacy and Security Are Part of UX

Privacy and security should not feel separate from the user experience. They are part of it.

Users should be able to understand what information they provide, how account access is protected, and where privacy settings can be managed. A platform should make security features visible without making the experience feel intimidating.

Good UX gives users confidence. That includes confidence that their account can be managed, their settings can be adjusted, and their information is handled according to clear policies.

For social casino platforms, privacy and security are especially important because users may create accounts, receive rewards, manage balances, and interact with promotional systems.

A platform that explains these areas clearly is easier to trust.

Warning Signs to Watch For

Users should be cautious if a platform has uncleared coin rules, vague reward terms, hidden support, poor mobile performance, inconsistent information, or aggressive promotional language.

Another warning sign is confusing navigation. If users cannot find basic settings or terms, the platform may not be prioritizing usability.

Visual design should never be used to distract from missing information.

A trustworthy platform explains first and promotes second. It does not rely on excitement alone. It gives users the information they need to understand the experience.

Consistency matters as well. If one page describes rewards in one way and another page uses different language, users may become uncertain.

Why Legit Platforms Stand Out

Legit social casinos stand out because they combine entertainment with clarity.

They make virtual currency rules easy to understand. They explain rewards. They organize games well. They make mobile navigation smooth. They provide accessible support. They give users account controls.

These features may not be as flashy as game graphics or promotional banners, but they matter more over time.

Users return to platforms that feel understandable and reliable. A platform that is easy to use the first time is more likely to earn repeat visits.

The best platforms do not force users to choose between excitement and clarity. They offer both.

The Product Design Takeaway

Social casino entertainment is not only about games. It is about the complete digital product.

A legit platform should make every part of the experience easier to understand virtual currency, rewards, events, mobile navigation, support, privacy, account settings, and user controls.

The best social casinos are visually engaging. They are organized, transparent, responsive, and designed around user confidence.

In a crowded digital entertainment market, trust is not created by branding alone. It is created by clear product decisions that make users feel informed and in control.

Nearly 30,000 pounds of imported raw beef from South America have been recalled in two states over the failure to reinspect the product after arriving in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

Florida-based Corte Argentino USA LLC is recalling about 29,628 pounds of raw beef products that were imported from Argentina “without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States,” which checks documentation, labeling, packaging, the product’s general condition and sometimes samples for contaminants, FSIS announced on Friday.

After incoming shipments meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requirements, they must be reinspected by FSIS.

MORE THAN 3,200 POUNDS OF PASTRAMI, CORNED BEEF RECALLED OVER POSSIBLE LISTERIA CONTAMINATION

Florida-based Corte Argentino USA LLC is recalling about 29,628 pounds of raw beef products that were imported from Argentina. (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service)

The products were distributed to distributors and retailers in Florida and Texas.

The affected products were produced between May 15 and May 20. They have use or freeze-by dates between September 15 and September 20.

The recall includes various weight cardboard boxes containing “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Top Sirloin Butt” (“Cuadril Sin Tapa”), “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Eye Round” (“Peceto”), “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Topside Cap Off” (“Nalga AD S/Tapa”), “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Flat” (“Carnaza Cuadrada”) and “FrigorIfico Gorina SAIC” boneless beef “Knuckle” (“Bola de Lomo”).

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury in connection with the consumption of the recalled products. (J. David Ake/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The affected products feature Argentinian establishment number “EST. N° OF. 2025” and shipping mark “26644-AA.”

The issue was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness or injury in connection with the consumption of the recalled products, FSIS said. Anyone concerned about an illness or injury is urged to contact a healthcare provider.

CLIMBING ROPES RECALLED OVER RISK OF DEATH FROM FALLING, REGULATORS SAY

The products were distributed to distributors and retailers in Florida and Texas. (John Gress/Corbis / Getty Images)

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FSIS said it is concerned that some affected products may be in consumers’ refrigerators and freezers.

Consumers who have purchased these products are instructed not to consume them and to either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

With a total solar eclipse set to sweep across parts of the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain on August 12, interest in do-it-yourself eclipse viewing tools has surged — but safety experts and space agencies are cautioning that not every homemade option is safe for the eyes.

According to NASA and the National Solar Observatory, looking directly at the sun without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage, and that risk applies during a solar eclipse just as it does on any ordinary day, except during the brief window of total darkness known as totality. Outside of that narrow period, any glimpse of the sun’s bright surface — even a thin sliver during a partial eclipse — can harm the retina, since the eye lacks pain receptors that would otherwise warn of the damage occurring in real time.

The August 12 eclipse will be total along a path crossing a remote stretch of northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain and a small corner of Portugal. Much of Europe, North America and northwestern Africa will see only a partial eclipse, meaning the moon will cover just a portion of the sun’s disk rather than blocking it entirely. For viewers along the path of totality, NASA says it is safe to remove eye protection and look directly at the sun only during the short period when the moon fully covers it — and protection must go back on the instant any sliver of sunlight reappears.

For those hoping to build their own viewing equipment rather than buy certified glasses, safety officials say there are really only two legitimate do-it-yourself paths, and they are not the same thing.

The first, and by far the safest option for anyone without access to certified equipment, is an indirect method that does not involve looking at the sun at all: a pinhole projector. The concept is simple. A small hole poked into a piece of cardboard or an index card, held so sunlight passes through it and lands on a second surface such as another card, a wall or the ground, will project a small image of the sun’s crescent shape during the partial phases of the eclipse. Because the viewer never looks directly at the sun, and instead observes its projected image, the method carries essentially no risk to eyesight and requires no special materials beyond basic household items.

The second path — building an actual pair of wearable eclipse glasses — is more involved and requires sourcing the correct material rather than improvising with household substitutes. According to the National Solar Observatory, homemade filters and ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for looking at the sun under any circumstances, regardless of how many layers are stacked together. The only safe way to look directly at the sun’s bright surface is through solar filter material specifically manufactured for that purpose and certified to the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. That standard limits the amount of visible, ultraviolet and infrared light that reaches the eye to levels considered safe for direct solar viewing.

Genuine do-it-yourself eclipse glasses can be assembled at home, but only by purchasing pre-certified ISO 12312-2 solar filter sheets from a reputable supplier and mounting them into a simple cardboard or paper frame, rather than attempting to fashion the filtering material itself. The American Astronomical Society, the leading professional organization for astronomers in North America, maintains a list of verified, safe suppliers of solar filter material and eclipse glasses, and safety experts recommend checking any product against that list before use, particularly given a history of counterfeit eclipse glasses circulating around past eclipse events that failed to provide adequate protection despite carrying misleading safety labels.

For observers who already own welding equipment, the American Astronomical Society has said that welding filters with a shade rating of 12 or higher can also provide safe direct viewing, with shade 13 or 14 generally considered closest in darkness to standard eclipse glasses. Ordinary sunglasses, smoked glass, exposed photographic film, polarizing filters and stacked layers of dark plastic are all explicitly not considered safe substitutes, regardless of how dim the sun appears through them.

Anyone planning to photograph the eclipse or view it through binoculars, a telescope or a camera lens faces an additional layer of risk. NASA and other experts warn that a solar filter must be attached to the front of any such optical device, not simply held up to the eyepiece, since the lens will concentrate sunlight to a degree that can damage both the equipment and the eyes almost instantly. Wearing eclipse glasses while looking through unfiltered optics is not a safe workaround, experts say, since the concentrated light passing through the lens can burn through the glasses’ filter material.

Timing will also matter for viewers hoping to catch the moment of totality. According to eclipse path data, totality is set to begin over Iceland at 1:45 p.m. Eastern time and reach Spain by 2:28 p.m. Eastern time on August 12. NASA has said it will provide live coverage of the eclipse beginning at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time, including footage from telescopes positioned along the path of totality and from a high-altitude research aircraft tracking the moon’s shadow, for viewers outside the path who want to watch the event unfold in real time.

With demand for certified eclipse glasses expected to rise as the date approaches, safety officials are urging anyone planning to view the event directly to secure verified protective equipment well in advance, rather than relying on last-minute homemade alternatives that may not meet the safety standards needed to protect their eyesight.