Vehicle occupant protection system with disable mode

A system ( 10 ) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle ( 12 ) includes a vehicle occupant protection device ( 20 ). An event sensor ( 14 ) is operative to sense a vehicle event condition such as a vehicle crash or rollover and provides a vehicle event condition signal ( 22 ) indicative of the sensed vehicle condition. A vehicle operating condition sensor ( 18 ) senses vehicle operation conditions such as ignition starts, vehicle speed, etc. A controller ( 16 ) is operative to determine the occurrence of a vehicle event in response to the vehicle condition signal ( 22 ). The controller ( 16 ) is operative to provide an actuation signal ( 24 ) for actuating the vehicle occupant protection device ( 20 ) in response to determining the occurrence of the vehicle event. A software key ( 100 ) is provided having a disable mode ( 106 ) in which the controller ( 16 ) is inhibited from providing the actuation signal ( 24 ). The software key is responsive to the signals from the vehicle operating sensors ( 18 ).