So I understand what you are trying to do. There is couple of ways to achieve what you are trying to do and think you are on the right track. First let’s go with this method if it doesn’t suits you, I can also show how to do it in ScreenSpace (HUD Viewport). However I think this will be more suited to your needs especially this will be in VR or RealWorld application on a car.
1- Keep you actor as intact. I added one WidgetComponent and Static Mesh adjusted like below.
2- I choose a sphere for SM and set hidden in game, also open cast hidden shadows. Also close collision No Collision
3- I adjusted widgetcomponent to my needs, scaled down, add render resolution 1280 720, put my widget class in. This allows me to render a widget UMG in realworld, we don’t have to go screenspace(Viewport HUD) like you do (don’t need to create widget and add to viewport)
4- I put this actor to world (You can spawn from player if you prefer). On this actors graph, I made couple of simple scripts. (A) I get player pawn and search its capsule component and this actor to player pawn. (B) After I add some rotations and location of choice so that the widget appears in the right position. Simply getting forward normal multiply by a distance and find the player facing rotations and add the to relative transform.
This give me a static actor, in front of player, with a widget and some shadow like below.
Now you can always access this actor, get widget class and do something. Tell widget to animate etc. This can be attachted to car also it will always show in front of car. There can be other needs like: As a designer I want widget to react road surface. As a designer I want display to move to the direction of car when I am turning etc.
Let me know, can also show the other way if you want.