Various implementations include seats and related systems for detecting user proximity and controlling one or more functions based on that proximity detection. In particular cases, the seats include capacitive sensors for detecting user proximity. In some particular aspects, an automobile seat includes: a core section; a cover over at least a portion of the core section, the cover having a set of capacitive sensors across a front of the seat; and a processor for processing signals from the set of capacitive sensors to detect a proximity of a user.