Vehicle arrangement with cooperating power seat and vehicle occupant protection systems

A vehicle arrangement (10) includes a power seat system (14) and an occupant protection system (40). The power seat system (14) includes a seat (18) provided for an occupant (16) and movable relative to a vehicle chassis (20). A motor (24) moves the seat (18) and a sensor (28) senses location of the seat. A seat controller (26) controls the motor (24), and contains a memory (34) for retaining an occupant predefined seat location. A recall switch (e.g., 30) causes movement to the predefined seat location. The protection system (14) includes an actuatable protection device (42), wherein location of the occupant (16) relative to the device is related to seat location. An override portion (72) of a protection system controller (52) automatically positions the seat (18) out of a range of seat locations that places the occupant (16) out of an optimum protection zone. Actuation of a manual override switch (60) permits movement of the seat (18) into the range of seat locations that places the occupant (16) out of the optimum protection zone. Preferably, actuation of the protection device (42) is based upon seat location provided by the seat system (14).