An apparatus and a method for controlling a vehicle, which control a route of the vehicle or an air circulation mode of the vehicle based on an outdoor air condition of an autonomous driving vehicle and control an indoor air cleaner of the vehicle based on an indoor air condition. In some implementations, an apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes an outdoor measurement sensor attached to an exterior of the vehicle and measuring an external fine dust concentration, a communicator receiving, from an environment server, a local fine dust concentration corresponding to a position of the vehicle, and when a difference between the measured external fine dust concentration and the received local fine dust concentration exceeds a set allowance, a controller checking whether an object generating fine dust exists outside the vehicle and allowing the vehicle to travel while avoiding the object when it is confirmed that the object exists.