Autowipers are crap, I have had many cars with them on especially when I worked for VW and I'm talking 20 plus, so I feel I have more experience than most with these.
Sometimes they come on when there is no rain and spread dust and grime all over your screen, sometimes they don't come on enough when it is raining and sometimes they go too fast when it is, so you spend you life adjusting the sensitivity. Oh and don't forget when you put the car in reverse the rear one comes on too, which is great when it's raining but painful when it's not.
I agree with the op, if I could turn that function off I would