METHOD FOR CHECKING A SURROUNDINGS DETECTION SENSOR OF A VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE

A method for checking at least one surroundings detection sensor of a vehicle involves localizing the vehicle on a digital map and identifying features of stored stationary objects of the surroundings of the vehicle in the digital map, of which it is expected that they are recognized by the surroundings detection sensor. The surroundings of the vehicle are detected by the surroundings detection sensor and it is concluded that there has been a degradation of the surroundings detection sensor when the features to be recognized according to expectations are not recognized by the surroundings detection sensor or when features actually detected by the surroundings detection sensor deviate greatly from the features to be recognized according to expectation. The digital map with the stored features of the stationary objects is retrieved for a predetermined projection horizon of a central storage unit external to the vehicle.