Why is a `val` inside an `object` not automatically final?

What is the reason for vals not (?) being automatically final in singleton objects? E.g.

object NonFinal {
   val a = 0
   val b = 1

   def test(i: Int) = (i: @annotation.switch) match {
      case `a` => true
      case `b` => false
   }
}

results in:

<console>:12: error: could not emit switch for @switch annotated match
          def test(i: Int) = (i: @annotation.switch) match {
                                                     ^

Whereas

object Final {
   final val a = 0
   final val b = 1

   def test(i: Int) = (i: @annotation.switch) match {
      case `a` => true
      case `b` => false
   }
}

Compiles without warnings, so presumably generates the faster pattern matching table.

Having to add final seems pure annoying noise to me. Isn't an object final per se, and thus also its members?