OBJECT DETECTION APPARATUS BASED ON SCORING RELIABILITY AND INCREASING RELATIVE RANGE RATE

An object detection apparatus detects a target object present in a periphery of a moving body. The object detection apparatus derives recognition information indicating a state of a target object, and predicts a state of the target object at a next second observation timing, based on the recognition information derived at a first observation timing. The object detection apparatus derives a score based on a degree of difference between a state of the target object observed at the second observation timing and a next state of the target object predicted at the first observation timing. The object detection apparatus derives a reliability level by statistically processing scores related to the target object derived at a plurality of observation timings from past to present. In response to the reliability level satisfying a predetermined reference, the object detection apparatus determines that the target object related to the reliability level is actually present.