Today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the talks, but said that Apple buying the company is "unlikely."
As Business Insider's Nicholas Carlson pointed out, corporate development execs like Perica often meet with senior executives at other companies to discuss opportunities for partnership or joint investment.
Among the potential opportunities for cooperation between Apple and Tesla, there's one product that immediately stands out as a possibility: iOS in the Car.
Announced at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference last year, iOS in the Car is a new feature built into Apple's mobile operating system that lets iPhone users run iOS on top of their car's built-in software and hardware.
While many cars let you play music from your phone using controls on the steering wheel, iOS in the Car takes the integration much further, bringing the distinct look of iOS 7 and the convenience of Siri to vehicles from over a dozen manufacturers.