Raspberry Pi updates ‘bumpin sticker’ with whatever song you’re currently playing

The Raspberry Pi is an outstanding choice for various automotive projects, thanks to its versatility and low cost. While there have been several cool car-related Raspberry Pi builds, Guy Dupont’s latest creation, the “Bumpin’ Sticker,” takes things to another level by turning your car into a rolling music display.

Inspired by those cheeky bumper stickers that say something like “Keep honking! I’m listening to…” and then mention an obscure song or music genre, Dupont’s project takes the idea further by creating a dynamic display that automatically updates in real-time to show the music currently playing on his Spotify account. Rather than a traditional sticker, the “Bumpin’ Sticker” is actually an HDMI display powered by a Raspberry Pi.

How It Works

The project is designed to be fully automated. The Raspberry Pi receives power directly from the car battery, which means it turns on when you start the car and shuts down when you turn the car off, preventing any unnecessary battery drain. Once powered, the Pi connects to the internet and retrieves the currently playing song from Spotify. This information is then processed through a tool called Val Town, which generates a PNG graphic that is displayed on the screen.

For the visual output, Dupont uses a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, which is small and efficient, connected to an HDMI display. The display is carefully mounted inside or outside the car, with proper weatherproofing to protect against the elements. Originally, Dupont planned to use his phone’s hotspot to provide internet access to the Pi. However, for a more autonomous solution, he decided to use a Boron IoT development board from Particle. This board connects to the internet via cellular data, requiring no monthly service fee but with limited data capacity—perfect for this low-data-use application.

Dupont’s “Bumpin’ Sticker” project is entirely open source. He plans to share the complete build details and source code on GitHub soon, allowing anyone interested to replicate or modify his setup. For now, you can check out this innovative Raspberry Pi project in action on his YouTube channel, where he demonstrates the system and provides an overview of how it works.

This project is a fantastic example of using a Raspberry Pi to create a fun and unique tech experience that brings together automotive customization, music, and DIY electronics. Whether you’re cruising down the highway or sitting at a red light, the “Bumpin’ Sticker” is sure to catch eyes and maybe even inspire some smiles!

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