In obstacle detection apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a first importance as obstacle representing a possibility that a selected object becomes an obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a second importance as obstacle representing a possibility that the object under a tracking becomes the obstacle for the vehicle is calculated, a determination of whether the selected object is the same as that under the tracking is made, and the object which is tracked at the image processing object tracking is selected on the basis of the first importance as obstacle and the second importance as obstacle when determining that the selected object is not the same as that under the tracking.