Systems and methods are provided for generating training samples for a classification system associated with a vehicle occupant protection system. A three-dimensional virtual reality scene is generated (138) from a cockpit model having a set of at least two user configurable parameters (132) and an occupant model having a set of at least two user configurable parameters and a plurality of points of articulation (134). A plurality of training samples are generated from the virtual model (142). Each of the plurality of training samples has a first set of parameters associated with the cockpit model, a second set of parameters associated with the occupant model, and an occupant pose defined according to the points of articulation associated with the occupant model.