In a process for capacitive object detection in a vehicle seat, capacitors arranged in the backrest and in the seat surface are influenced by an object. The capacitors are acted upon by alternating voltage and their capacitance is determined individually. From the value of each of the two capacitances, an evaluation of the object is derived by means of a value table. When the two evaluations correspond to one another (concerning the type of an object), an occupant protection system assigned to the seat is correspondingly activated or deactivated.