A mysterious California company believed to be used to mask the development of Apple's rumored electric car has been spotted at an automotive industry conference, strengthening the ties between the self-styled "market research" firm and vehicle manufacturing.
Apple is said to have been interested in the manufacturing of BMW's i3 series.
SixtyEight Research, whose potential involvement with Apple was detailed by AppleInsider earlier this year, is listed as an attendee of the EuroCarbody 2015 Global Car Body Benchmarking Conference. The conference provides a place for parts manufacturers and car companies to come together and discuss new techniques and technologies for manufacturing car bodies.
SixtyEight joins other American firms like Alcoa on the roster, as noted by 9to5Mac, but with a slight difference: SixtyEight is the only U.S.-based company in attendance that is not already a major industry supplier.
In fact, SixtyEight is quite small in comparison. AppleInsider's investigation of SixtyEight turned up only a single small office and little sign of activity, a stark contrast to American industrial giants Alcoa, Ford, GM, and Chrysler.
With SixtyEight continuing to describe itself as a "market research firm" on its website, the appearance --Â alongside every major player in the business --Â seems to indicate otherwise. Headquartered just a stone's throw from a major Apple satellite office, signs continue to point to a connection between the two companies.