Method for operating a wiper, computing unit and vehicle

A method for operating a wiper (12) of a vehicle (10) having at least one autonomous driving mode, wherein the autonomous driving mode is based at least on sensor data of at least one sensor (14) of the vehicle (10), wherein the wiper (12) comprises an automated sensor safety mode, in which an uninterrupted and/or fault-free operation of the sensor (14) is ensured with the aid of the wiper (12), and wherein the sensor safety mode is activated when the autonomous driving mode of the vehicle (10) is activated, wherein the sensor safety mode comprises a water shielding function in which the sensor (14) is at least substantially shielded from water by the wiper (12), wherein the method includes activating the water shielding function, such that a deflection element (18) of the wiper (12) continuously keeps precipitation and/or spray water at least partially away from the sensor (14) during the autonomous driving mode, by deflecting a flow of the precipitation and/or spray water, wherein the deflection element is a spoiler of the wiper (12) that keeps the precipitation and/or spray water at least partially away from the sensor (14), wherein the wiper (12) further includes a wiper lip (24) that contacts a window (22) of the vehicle, and wherein during the water shielding function, the spoiler is positioned/arranged such that the sensor remains in a slipstream of a wind of travel, wherein the wind of travel is an airflow direction of ambient air surrounding the vehicle relative to the vehicle.